The Daily Lives of High School Shadowbuster
by Yuki-Infel
Summary: Minato didn't like to talk. Contains various SEES/Minato in their downtime and social links situations.
1. Le Bateleur

**Author Note:  
**

 **I disclaim ownership of Persona 3. And I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place in P3: Whisper so what better way to start over but writing a new story? Ha.. Ha.. Ha, yeah right. It'll be a little ooc at times, so please work with me. Thanks for reading.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **Magician**

Minato didn't like to talk. He usually replied with 'yes', 'no' or 'whatever', but the longest reply Junpei ever heard was seven words.

And if you asked, yes, he counted them.

Sometimes, he wondered how the heck the silent protagonist can be a Field Leader.

What he meant is... Leaders usually shout bravely in the front line, right?

If this is an RPG game, Minato would have to shout commands to his allies. But then again, he never do that.

Well, if you count the look he sent them whenever they have to change tactics, then it must be.

Minato must be an expert of telepathy.

Currently, they sat in the common room. Minato dozed off in Mitsuru's shoulder and boy, did the mighty Ms. President blush like a crab. It's not like he was jealous or something, mind you. But he acknowledged the wide gap like the earth and the sky after his childish temper tantrum that almost costs them a destroyed love hotel and a failed mission.

After all, he has a beautiful and cute redhead girlfriend, already. Junpei shrugged, returning to his game.


	2. La Papesse

**Chapter 2**

 **Priestess**

Minato slammed the door shut with a kick. His lean body shivered as a gust of wind passed through after he closed the door. It was an early summer rain and he left a trail of water in each step, sleepy quicksilver eyes scanned the empty lobby. Minato walked in the hallways silently, a yawn erupted from his mouth as he headed to the kitchen for a warm food. Rain made him tired.

He heard a sizzling sound, possibly tempura and his stomach growled in reply. Food, now.

Another step towards the kitchen revealed Fuuka, a white apron hugged her tiny figure and an idea popped in his head. Minato slipped up behind her and in one move, he wrapped an arm around her waist and reached a sneaky hand on a golden tempura. Hmm, not bad.

The teal-haired girl yelped and struggled from his hold, taken aback by the Field Leader's sudden presence.

"Player advantage," Minato whispered to her ear and she gave him a pout with a dusting pink cheeks.

* * *

 **Author Note:**

 **Just to remind you, Player Advantage is when you get a free turn by attacking Shadows first before they noticed you. Thanks for reading and please give your input :)  
**


	3. L'Impératrice

**Chapter 3**

 **L'Impératrice**

Minato – _that_ Minato- was rendered speechless. He stared blankly at Mitsuru's face, trying to gauge the intention and maybe the rare mischief he knew was supposed to be there. He came up and abandoned different schemes and plots that the seemingly innocuous heiress might concoct whenever he wasn't looking.

"Arisato?"

And how the hell did she made it sounded like something so easy?

"Err... I'm still in a severe shock. Can you repeat that?"

Beautiful scarlet eyes fixed on him and Mitsuru sighed. "If this situation isn't precarious enough, Arisato, trust me that I won't put the fund for SEES' operation in the red."

"But what the he- what does it have anything to do with-" Minato's retort died down with his flimsy rebellion as Mitsuru leaned forward.

"...Okay?" Mitsuru asked softly. A whiff of fuschia-scented shampoo she used wafted off to him.

Then, he heard his own voice saying, "As long as you're there to teach me the ropes, beautiful."

 _God, why?_

Minato screamed internally and made a mental note to himself to find out exactly what part of traitorous him that kept throwing those... Those unpredictable comments that made him seem like a pervert on the loose, like a flirty alter ego that deserved a beating.

Mitsuru let out a pleased smile, "You're a savior. Come to the command room later, I'll teach you..." she blushed. "The ropes."

Minato wanted nothing more than to bang his head to the wall.

* * *

"Hey, Minato. Let's go to Tartarus tonight and bash up the Shadows!" Junpei yelled in front of Minato's room, accompanied by Akihiko and barged to his room.

"We're going to train, Junpei- Ouch!" Akihiko collided with Junpei's back and knocked the air in his lungs temporarily. The Magician gaped at whatever lies ahead and both of them stumbled into the room.

Minato stood in the center of the room. _Or_ what was left of the Field Leader they were used to. Mitsuru smiled in satisfaction by his side, a red plunge-neck dress that touched the floor adorned her figure. Their minds bluescreened.

Minato's midnight-blue hair that usually concealed his right eye had been brushed and kept back with silver barrettes, forming the roman numeral XXII. His dark blue tailcoat complimented the white button-up shirt he wore underneath along with a bowtie. His trousers were the same as what he usually wore at school, but maybe a size smaller. His hands were covered in white leather gloves as he put a hand on his hips in an attempt to glower at his teammates. The young man stared silently at them over an un-hunched back, squaring his shoulder.

He looked like a normal rich guy.

An extremely handsome normal rich guy.

When nobody said anything, Minato took a deep, even breath and offered his arm to Mitsuru.

"Alright, I'm ready." He looked as if he wanted to be somewhere else other than here.

The heiress caught his gaze and lifted her hand to fit into Minato's arm. "Are you sure? There won't be any second chance, you know"

"You do know that I'll execute you if you stammer through your lines, right?" She added with an evil smile.

Minato deadpanned, "Please stop that. You're scary enough."

Shaking her head and smiling slightly, Mitsuru turned to the boys who stood in the doorway. "There won't be any Tartarus operation tonight. That is all."

They left together from the room, leaving Akihiko and Junpei in the dust.

* * *

"The Savior Minato escorting his Empress Mitsuru, operation commence," Minato muttered under his breath. They were surrounded by dresses and suits who crowded around the Kirijo heiress while he soldiered on, standing beside Mitsuru with a serene expression on his face. With both his eyes exposed, even the fearless leader suddenly felt camera-shy. Mitsuru said that the news about the event should covered the headline by tomorrow and he was tempted to ask Fuuka to hack every television and newspaper channel in Japan to cancel the news.

The pungent smell of expensive perfumes made him light-headed and he wondered why he took up Mitsuru's request. Mr. And Mrs. Kirijo were seated in the front row, enjoying themselves with 18-years old white wine they collected from the year of Mitsuru's birth while their only daughter waltzed through the ballroom greeting guests after guests accompanied only by someone a year her junior.

"Good night, Ms. Kirijo. Happy birthday," they turned and Minato was relieved to see a familiar face.

"Tanaka-san, thank you for your time. I'm sure you're a busy person," Still, Minato was amazed by Mitsuru's ability to remember the names of the guests. She never called a wrong name for the last two hours.

Tanaka shrugged, "Night is my only free time, I coached ungrateful brat sometimes during them," he said, shaking Minato's hand and gripped at them. Minato winced.

"Oh, you know him?"

"Well enough to offer him to join Tanaka family and name him my successor, actually." They chatted in a casual tone, but he can tell that Mitsuru wanted to ask further.

"I'm sure it'll be a great opportunity to merge our corporation by then," Mitsuru said smoothly and Minato choked on his fruit juice.

Tanaka smirked when the heiress elbowed his ribs.

"Great opportunity indeed. I'm planning to initiate him after he graduates. He's booked." Tanaka dipped his head and turned to Minato, crossing his arms.

"I guess I should call it a day. Tootaloo, my dear boy. May you find success one day. You too, Ms. Kirijo." His to-be foster father left the perimeter and the orchestra on the left side of the ballroom started the minuet.

With an exasperated smile, he bowed slightly to Mitsuru, extending his right hand. "May I have the first dance, Milady?"

Time to put the waltz lesson in the command room into practice.

* * *

 **Author Note:**

 **The wine that Mitsuru's parents collected around the year of her birth is canon, it's mentioned in a drama cd.** ** **Forgot which one, though.** And I kinda wished that Tanaka really adopted Minato to be groomed as his successor. He seems like a very amusing, if not slightly misguided father figure teehee. Thanks for reading and please give your input :)**


	4. L'Empereur

**Chapter 4**

 **Emperor**

 **A/N: Set after Shinjiro's death**

All was quiet.

Akihiko leaned against the cemented wall, taking a slow drag and a pool of mist evaporated from his mouth, mingling with the winter air and became one with the snow. He coughed once, unused to the burning sensation that invaded his lungs. He made a face and wondered how the hell Shinji liked this brand. Akihiko stomped on the unfinished cigarette and tightened the red scarf around his neck, the white jacket abandoned on the floor. He shook visibly from the cold but he didn't bother to care.

He wasn't the type to mope. He'd rather fight his way than brooding like a useless ornament.

Brooding was more like Shinji's thing, he thought with a smile.

Akihiko took out something from his jacket, a small white rabbit doll with red beady eyes that would suit Miki's features and made a mental note to visit her grave tomorrow, next to Shinji's. He stood up and call it a day.

Then, the spell of silence he was under was broken with a soft creak of the door and Minato appeared from the metal door, his hands cupped around two steaming mugs. They merely acknowledged each other as Minato made his way next to Akihiko and handed him one of the mugs. He flopped unceremoniously to the floor and settled there. His sloppy, casual demeanor relaxed and he brought up a knee to his chin.

"I don't think you're the smoker type," Minato said after what felt like eons, filled only by the sipping sound and sometimes a wintry breeze that made his ears rung.

Akihiko snorted, "How's Ken? Does he feel better?"

" I tucked him in, he seemed exhausted."

Recognizing his senior's point to change the topic, Minato followed suit. "I mixed your coffee with the whey protein I found in your stash cupboard."

" You're good at taking care of others, huh?" Akihiko remarked and he got a raised eyebrow in return.

They returned to the silence and this time, Akihiko didn't mind the quiet company.

He fell asleep within seconds.

* * *

When he opened his eyes, the snow has covered the rooftop so completely that Akihiko was taken aback by the whiteness. He swept his eyes, slowly aware of the absence of the Field Leader.

Minato was gone.

He blinked abruptly and groaned in pain as he forcefully shook off his body. Fortunately, they sat near the big pipe that controlled the hot water flow around the dorm so he wasn't frozen solid in ice. When he walked a step forward, he noticed that Minato wasn't gone, he just leaned against the metal door and crossed his arms to keep out the cold.

Minato looked down from where he stood, smiled and walked to Akihiko's side. He outstretched a hand and waiting expectantly. Then, a sudden gust of wind brushed his hair aside, revealing a mole under his right eye and the tranquil peace in his expression.

And in the future, Akihiko blamed his stupid self for causing him to do something out of his character. He stood up and leaned forward, looping an arm over Minato's arm. Giving the Field Leader a one-armed hug that lasted a few seconds and let go.

That done it.

The first few peals of laughter resounded from Minato. It evolved into a full blown laugh that affected The Emperor who had lost both his sister and a sworn brother and they laughed until his cheeks hurt and his stomach cramped.

" I...I-" Minato gave a small grin and wiped his wet eyes. "I was about to pull you up, Akihiko-senpai," Cue to a wheeze that sounded half-amused, half-astounded.

"Just forget it," Akihiko jabbed with a glare that didn't look threatening.

"Yes, sir," Minato said airily and he moved to pick up the mugs. His shaking shoulder failed to convince Akihiko that the junior took his threat seriously and Akihiko shrugged, returning to the indoor warmth.

"Akihiko-senpai?"

"What?"

"I've got your back, you know."

"I know," he said in a final tone, the grief receded somewhat and he felt okay.

Not fine completely, but okay.

That Fool. There's no saving him.

* * *

 **Author Note:**

 **The white rabbit doll is the item that the female MC got when you completed Akihiko's Social Link. Well, I played the portable version and his route was so saaadd I wanted to pat his back. It doesn't count as a spoiler, right?**

 **Thanks for reading and please give your input :)**


	5. Le Pape

**Chapter 5**

 **Le Pape**

Standing at 5'7 feet and being the second shortest male in the dorm (after _Ken_ , he thought with a scowl that seemed nonexistent to everyone else's eyes), Minato was secretly self-conscious about his height.

Not that he'd let anyone know, though.

Much less telling his muscle-for-brain best friend, Junpei.

He'd be laughed at and he knew that Junpei would go _miles_ to be as over the top as possible.

Minato chuckled to himself and left his room, still in his dark blue pyjamas. It reads 6.47 AM and school is in two hours so he thought he could go for some leisure cooking.

Okonomiyaki sounds good.

He heard two distinct voices bickering while the two sides has no intent on losing before he reached the end of the stairs.

Minato sighed at the daily occurrence because most of the time, he played the unwilling arbiter and no one liked getting sandwiched between two intimidating people who were taller than them.

Since the reliable senior joined at the beginning of September, the circumstance has been malleable at best and tense with fury at worst.

Minato had to admit that Tartarus exploration has been less taxing on him after Shinjiro joined.

With him and Shinjiro as vanguards, making their way up in the tower was easy.

Saying that it's easy was the simplified version of what really happened, though.

Because most of the senior's attacks one-hit-killed the Shadows or bludgeoned them to death with his axe, the party didn't rely on Minato too much for his area-based skills, saving what precious little SP he had to pull them out from life and death situations.

Sensing that the silver-haired boxer has left the dorm with stomping his feet, Minato gradually relaxed and entered the kitchen.

"What happened?" he asked, getting fresh green onions and eggs out from the fridge.

He wondered how the fridge was always so well-stocked even though the dorm's occupants were busy balancing teenage lives with being shadowbusters at night.

Minato snorted at his own joke in his head.

"It's fucking winter and that dumbass said he's going on a morning run," Ah, trust the senior to begin a conversation with a curse word or two.

Minato frowned as he found wheat flour, salt and black pepper on the cupboard and mixed them lightly.

"It may be detrimental for his health," he said, agreeing with Shinjiro's point for once.

Shinjiro grunted and shoved a flat frying pan to him. Minato thanked the rowdy senior and set the fire on medium after putting the cooking oil, barely enough for the dish.

"I don't understand why you two keep on doing that,"

"What?"

He waited for the okonomiyaki to turn light brown before adding sliced tuna and flipped the dish. "Annoying each other,"

Minato heard a harsh exhale along with the smell of tobacco.

It was no secret that the senior smoked. Picked it up on the street, he said once.

"It's habit, I guess. We've been at each other's throat from who knew when. It's fucked up."

The Field Leader hummed and set the savory dish on the table.

"That's why you two fought so well together."

"In spite of it," Shinjiro corrected. "Tea?"

Minutes after, with the rattle of the boiling water, they ate early breakfast. Minato was surprised with the light flavor of the tea, complimenting nicely with heavy flavour of the gravy.

Staring at Shinjiro, Minato noticed that the senior was way taller than him even sitting down.

It brought his earlier problem into light and he felt his eyebrow twitched.

His long dormant sense of competition riled up, Minato imperceptively stared at Shinjiro through hooded eyes. He straighten his back unconsciously and kept his posture upright, trying to lessen the difference of height in vain.

No matter how many glass of milk he drank in secret, no matter how much he held on to the notion that drinking milk regularly would have positive effect on his height, he didn't grow any taller.

It was depressing.

Shinjiro, fed up with the glaringly obvious sudden resentment of the Field Leader, spoke up.

"You've got something to say, brat?" he added with crossed arms.

He scrutinized the shorter teen, currently standing his ground and not even giving in an inch.

Minato looked at him as if he's a Shadow to defeat and although he didn't know what the problem is, he could feel a headache coming on.

The hardest thing to reveal about Minato is his expression.

It was as if he's staring at a brick wall. A sullen brick wall.

The seconds ticked away agonizingly slow as they stared at each other. It could've been over if he looked away first. Somehow, he lamented why he was such a sore loser.

"Shinjiro-senpai," Minato spoke, soft and velvety.

He was so startled that Shinjiro ended up losing their impromptu staring battle. His focus zeroed in on the silver eyes and he can't help but to think that for a second, Minato looked like a kicked puppy.

His one, only weakness.

Something he didn't want to admit just like his love for cooking.

Minato leaned forward, inching closer and his eyes shifted from looking sullen into curiousity.

"Umm..." at Minato's unusually hesitant tone, Shinjiro unconsciously gripped the table cloth tighter.

"How do you get taller?"

* * *

 **Author Note:**

 **Such a change form the last chapter, right?**

 **This chapter has destroyed my head and I'm such a trash that I kept blushing as I wrote this. Sorry but you have to read this while I'm off bashing my head to the wall. Thanks for reading.**


	6. Le Pape: Part Two

**Chapter 6**

 **Le Pape: Part Two**

"Oh."

 _Oh._

He thought Minato was going to-

...Okay, don't think about that.

Shinjiro averted his eyes, away from Minato's strange charm and tried to keep his hands from straying to pat the midnight-coloured hair.

He succeeded, somehow.

Shinjiro coughed into his hand, staving off the... disappointment and stared at the floor.

Oh, look. The carpet has orange rectangle-shaped pattern on it. Boring.

When he lifted his head, the curiosity in Minato's eyes settled on his figure, examining him up and down. He felt a chill that didn't have anything to do with the season ran over him.

"You're the tallest person I know," Minato said easily, shrugging his shoulder. The motion creased the collar of his pyjamas, a column of pale skin exposed to the cold air. Minato looked comfortable in his clothing, unbothered by the winter.

"Stop sulking about it, that's lame. Just... Google it, get the fuckface in the internet to help you." Shinjiro finished, refilling his empty cup and watched as a calloused hand reached the forgotten flip phone on the edge of the table.

Minato nodded in appreciation, whipped up his phone and typed with breakneck speed while he picked up the used plates.

He was about to sneer at the idiotic idea –even though he was the one who suggested it- when he caught Minato's eyes. An excited glow surrounded the quiet boy, his steps skipped lightly and Shinjiro sighed, defeated.

* * *

 _Understand that most of your height will be determined by genetics of your family._

This is problematic.

Minato pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes.

He circled around his room, trying to recall the faces he hasn't seen in a decade. Adults looked like giants when he was a kid, so he can't really estimate his parents' heights. He could ask Minako, but he doubted that his younger twin can even remember something as specific as height.

He glanced at his browser and did simple math in his head, predicting the heights of both his parents with a formula mentioned by the post.

The result was unsatisfactory.

But he didn't give up. He has three years left until he hit his twenties and his growth spurt stopped.

* * *

 _Get plenty of sleep._

Here, Minato shook his head.

It was impossible. With almost daily exploration of Tartarus, getting decent hours of sleep is like shooting for the stars.

Maybe after their exploration is over, he'll sleep like there's no tomorrow.

So, with a push of the button, he went to the next page.

* * *

 _Practice good posture._

 _Rolling your shoulders or hunching over can actually affect the curvature of your growing spine (and not in a good way)._

Minato cringed. It was everything he had done.

 _Keep your shoulders back, chin high, and hips over your feet. Walk with purpose instead of slouching or slinking, and try to sit up straight when you're in chairs. Even if you're not actually getting taller, good posture will make you look taller._

With the same determination like how he bashed the Shadows, Minato changed into his uniform and left for school.

* * *

"M-M-Minato, s-something wrong?"

Junpei greeted him at the gate. His mouth clamped shut with his palm, trying to fight off the laugh threatening to spill over, unless he wanted Minato to cut him off from Tartarus exploration.

And oh yes, Minato _can_ be picky like that.

The Fool shot him a warning glare, looking ruffled and bothered while keeping up his quickening stride.

Minato looked weird, as weird as how a guy who sang in the karaoke alone and paid unholy amount of Yen to get Jack Frost Dolls can be.

Junpei slung an arm over Minato's shoulder, finding leverage and pulling him closer.

"You're weird," he snickered.

Minato clicked his tongue in annoyance and looked away quickly. He leaned back and dug his phone out from the pocket, continuing to the next page.

 _Big fail, dude._

He eased his posture, slowly reclining back and sighed comfortably. Junpei laughed out loud and slapped his back in two quick succession.

"That's better."

* * *

Koromaru's ears perked up from his spot beside the TV, alerting Shinjiro who quickly hid the tasty morsel he prepared for the dog and settled on the sofa. He took a long drag of his cigarette and morphed his expression into a long-suffering scowl.

Whoever appeared from the door must pay for his quality time cut short with their blood.

It was Minato, thoroughly exhausted and Shinjiro was hesitant to go through with his revenge.

The boy yelped when Koromaru ran toward him and licked his cheeks with fervor. He laughed quietly and pat the dog's head, silently ordering Koromaru to calm down. Koromaru whimpered and bit his leash, wanting to go for a walk.

"Where's everyone?"

"Out,"

Minato huffed and rested his chin to Koromaru's muzzle.

"Okay, but let me change first."

* * *

Arriving from a second floor with the appropriate outfit for a winter night, Minato took Koromaru's leash and headed out, beckoning Shinjiro to follow and he did, if only begrudgingly. The shrine was a short walk from their dorm and soon, Koromaru ran towards the wide garden, leaving them behind.

"So, did you get any taller?" Shinjiro began, filling in the silence.

Although atypical of him, he was slightly curious of the progress. It didn't help that the listless teen seemed to has left the idea completely.

Minato smiled, a small quirking up of his mouth and Shinjiro found that he appreciated it.

"Nope,"

At Shinjiro's raised eyebrows, Minato continued.

"I figured it's not important anymore."

He smiled again. It wasn't as wide as the first, but also honest and warmer.

And that just made it worser. "Thank you,"

 _Cute._

Not knowing anything else to do, Shinjiro grabbed the collar of the light gray double-breasted jacket. It was satisfying to watch the amiable teen's expression to turn into surprise for once, Shinjiro thought faintly.

His white breath ghosted over and Minato's breath hitched.

"Don't tempt me, brat."

* * *

 **Author Note:**

 **This continuation chapter is a special request by a guest (Hey, it rhymed!)**

 **Good Lord, I actually googled WikiHow on how to get taller _ _"**

 **I'm dying XD Thanks for reading!**


	7. L'Amoureux

**Chapter 7**

 **L'Amoureux**

Minato tipped his body to the side and landed in Yukari's pink pillow with a soft thump, hugging her Jack Frost doll to his side.

Ah, so sleepy.

He wished she could just pick one goddamn movie and be done with this shit.

"C'mon, don't fall asleep, Minato!" Yukari called out, her mind buried deep in her movie collections strewn over her lap. He wanted to protest, since tomorrow is a school day and he really, really didn't want Mitsuru-senpai to find him in the girls' floor. Execution was a painful endeavor that not even Shinjiro-senpai would like to repeat. And that came from the toughest guy of a teenage group who screwed Shadows twice a week.

But Yukari has her own scary reputation to match. She didn't even hesitate to threat Junpei with castration the last time he made a poor-timed dirty joke. But deep inside Yukari was a caring girl with a sensitive side... that depended on her moods.

God help him.

He hoped Junpei would be bro enough to collect his remains and deliver them to Minako. He promised to himself that he'll be a better brother and take Minako out to whatever theme park or other embarassing places if he survived. Even if Minako was technically a younger twin sister from hell.

And _finally_ , Yukari's chocolate eyes shone with a girlish joy after finding her choice. She threw the DVD case to Minato, thumping his head successfully. He grunted in pain and picked up the DVD case. The sooner he finished this the sooner he can make his escape.

Minato made a face.

Yukari fumed, knowing what went through his head. "It's called the romance of the century! Even Mitsuru-senpai and Fuuka said so."

Minato winced unapologetically, "I have nothing against sparkling vampire guy but this is overrated."

"I'm _so_ letting you bleed to death in Tartarus," she threatened with a victorious smile. Minato stilled for a moment and she was no expert in reading their rather weird (but charming! And courageous, witty, handsome... *sigh*) Field Leader, but she swore that Minato was sulking. It was no secret that despite his prowess that can wipe out the Shadows with their known weak spots by a single flick of third-tier elements, Minato tended to have a serious issue of SP reserves. It got better, though.

While she was daydreaming, Minato pulled himself up from the flower-scented bed and walked to the DVD shelf, browsing through them. He pulled one and handed it to Yukari, muttering under his breath that he deserved to choose the film since she was the one who dragged him here. She scanned the title and looked up to Minato, silver eyes gleaming.

Minato gazed at her fondly. Her heart skipped a beat before going off a hundred miles an hour and suddenly it became more difficult to breath in close proximity with Minato.

"This-" Minato's index finger touched the DVD case. It reads _Coraline_.

"-is one of the first films I and Minako watched. It's worth a watch. A bit surreal, though."

Her heartbeat calmed down and she steadied herself before answering, "Seriously? But this film came out this year, you know. You've never watched any films before?"

Minato said matter-of-factly, "We moved around a lot," He shrugged, "And it's not like we had the money to go to the cinema."

Silence blanketed the room. But even though the words were tinged with a subtle pain, Yukari was strangely... happy that Minato shared something from his past, as unknown and unfamiliar it was for her to imagine a life being passed around from city to city for a decade.

She huffed and the gloom dissipated from the room, "Okay, but you're treating me to the Chagall Cafe if I ended up not liking this film."

Minato rolled his eyes and settled on the carpeted floor in front of the TV, remote in hand. "Fair point."

The opening credit rolled through the screen and Yukari had to forcibly take her Jack Frost doll from Minato before the sewings in its hat were ripped by his hands that constantly played and twisted it. Then, a girl with short, black hair was seen moving in to an old house with her parents, walking through the house with a bored, blank face until she found a bricked up passage, a hidden door full of mystery behind it.

She traveled in the parallel world that echoed her own every night, finding comfort and dreams that came true although Yukari was slightly afraid of the button-eyed denizens.

 _"_ _Well, what should I do?"_ the orange-white stripped shirt-wearing girl asked to the two arguing aunties.

 _"_ _Never wear green in your dressing room,"_ the short, pink-haired woman advised.

 _"_ _Acquire a very tall step-ladder,"_ said the more well-endowed counterpart.

Yukari gave Minato an amused glance that Minato replied with a raised eyebrow in return. They didn't say another word. Much later in the film, Coraline fought her way back to her real parents, going against the replica of her own mother that she met in the parallel world.

 _"_ _I want to be with my real Mom and Dad. I want you to let me go!"_

 _"_ _Is that any way to talk to your Mother?"_ the slick, stylish woman who bore semblance to Coraline said with clear anger on her voice.

 _"_ _You're NOT my Mother!"_

Yukari flinched visibly, squeezing Minato's arms and his cold, steady hands reminded her that it was in the past. Their mother-daughter relationship has improved significantly and they called each other on daily basis now.

The film moved at its surreal pace, showcasing the full potential of stop motion combined with 3D that left shivers in Yukari's spine every time there was a close-up of a character's button-eyed face. It was strange, puppet-like but still fitting of the theme of the film, considering that Minato did gave her a heads up that it has its own crazily surreal points.

The end of the film came closer.

 _"_ _Oh, hello."_

 _"_ _I'm Coraline Jones, I've got so much to tell you."_

 _"_ _Do you want to pop a little gin in it, dear?"_

 _"_ _Of course,"_

Yukari sighed as the end credits rolled over, stretching and pulled her arms over her head as she popped out the disc from the DVD player. Minato glanced at his wristwatch, noting that it was late and time to call it a day.

"So, your opinion?" he said with a small smile and she has never felt more comfortable in another person's presence.

"Now I understand why you likes this film," she replied with a half-hearted compliment but they both know that Yukari rarely gave compliments. Minato laughed quietly and ruffled her hair, excusing himself from Yukari's room.

The next morning, though, he wasn't as lucky to face Mitsuru's wrath. Ouch.

* * *

 **Author Note:**

 **Because the time setting of P3 is 2009 and Coraline came out in 2009 too, I had Yukari saying that the film 'just came out this year'.**

 **Thanks for reading^^ And peeps, your opinion?**


	8. Le Char

**Author Note: Fun shit. This chapter will be Aigis' turn because this is kinda like a continuation from the last chapter.**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Chariot  
**

"Minatooo~" a female voice sang out.

"...Don't... Mitsu... We didn't... 'nything indecent..."

"Minatooo~" this time a breath of cold air to his left ear and Minato shivered, slightly traumatized of the freezing gust of air. He heard a sigh in his sleep-deprived dream but he tried to succumb deeper into a blissful oblivion where ice-sculpting tools didn't exist.

Another long-suffering sigh and a warm hand enveloped his forehead, Minato tried to get more of the heat by leaning his head to the source. Someone giggled and cooed above him but he was too tired to open his eyes.

"Poor guy. Got a cold, probably. That's what he got for hoggin' everyone for himself." A new voice said in half-sympathy, half-preaching.

"C'mooon, don't be like that Junpei." The defense was followed by a small hand stroking his hair. For a second he didn't care even if he curled up to the warmth like a cat.

"Says the girl who have flower bouquets thrown left and right. I swear that ya even have Koromaru wrapped 'round your fingers,"

"You know _my_ baby brother is a pure, innocent boy."

He had enough.

"I'm older than you," Minato said. The sentence was supposed to be backed up by a glare but failed miserably when he hacked a dry cough. Everyone in the room cringed.

Minako, his _younger_ sister replied, "Still a baby brother, though. Eight minutes are nothing."

"Just... Go away," Minato rasped weakly and retreated back into the safe, warm haven of his blanket.

"Nope, not happening." She stuck out her red, pierced tongue and blew raspberry at him.

"Childish. Both of you." Junpei rolled his eyes. It would've sounded so mature had it not been said by someone who wore Superman pyjamas. Seriously.

The fraternal twins' faces whipped to Junpei's directions and their focus zeroed in on him. The timing was creepy.

"Says the guy who plays video game till midnight." Mr. Blue and Ms. Red smiled at each other and high-fived. Junpei spluttered, "Hey! That's-" He was about to launch into a lesson of why gaming can be cosidered a sport and important coordination training for eyes and hands when Aigis, an ASW or what Junpei would dreamily called a Steel Maiden came to the room.

Aigis' artificial eyes zoomed in and the analytical unit implanted in her took in the downed Field Leader's condition.

"39.01° Celcius, medium cold detected. Proceed to eliminate." And just like that, she left again. Probably to do her over-the-top eliminative counter measures.

Minato's headache intensified. He groaned in annoyance, the sound was muffled by the pillows. It didn't help that something in Minako's eyes just gleamed after she saw Aigis. By this point, Junpei felt a sudden chill in his neck and escaped the battlefield without asking his permission. Minato decided that he would cut Junpei off from the next exploration. Traitor.

"Aigis told me something this morning..." His twin began, twirling long auburn hair that she has yet to stylize in her usual hairdo in an attempt to look cute. She batted her eyelashes, " You know that she's always reading your brainwave, right?"

His face paled and Minato looked at Aigis who carried a water basin in horror. And true to Minako's words, Aigis seemed like she was capable of reading his thought.

"Because I want to stay by your side."

She even had the function to blush like a teenage girl. Minato didn't want to know what the ASW creators were thinking when they decided that it was a good idea to insert a girlish personality in a robot's body. Perverts, all of them.

Aigis' face wore a puzzled expression, "They were not perverts, Minato-san. The Personality Module for ASW series were intended to have the mindset of a girl because a teenage girl is more likely to develop more enhanced, complex emotions. It answered the question of how Persona, a reflection of one's self and motives, can be evoked in non-organic beings."

Hold on, this seemed important...

"Who was the girl who became the Personality Module for ASW? Isn't it ethically-" But before he can continue his question, Minako had stopped him by trapping his cheeks in her palms and squeezed, forming a duck's beak on her baby brother's face.

"Don't think about work for now, Field Leader! As your vice captain, I order you to listen to me." She grinned, which Minato replied with a blank stare of his own. She hasn't released her hold yet.

"Now where are we... Oh!" Her smile carried a hint of glow in it, reminding Minato of their childhood years spent in agony because of that evil smile.

"Minako-san, he called your smile was evil just now."

The palms that threatened his jaws locked in tighter. "Ow ow ow! Stop! Sorry, spare me..." he retaliated by pushing her arms away, but the rule is, evil sister will always be stronger.

Finally pitying her cold-ridden brother like a dashing heroine she was, Minako unwrapped her palms from his jaws and Minato glared in a non-threatening way. She coughed once into her hands once and prompting the two to give her their undivided attentions.

"So, Minato. During the events of last night that led to an unfortunate accident on your part-" Minato gave her a snort and she threw her head back, laughing mirthfully. Minako's laughing voice rang through the room and her older twin sighed, quicksilver eyes softening at her antics. She laughed enough for both of them. It has always been like that.

Sobered up, Minako ran her fingers through Minato's hair playfully and tugged, not enough to hurt. Grinning like a Chesire cat, she said, "Then, what about this promise of yours to be a better brother and take me out to 'whatever theme park or other embarrassing places if you survived'?" she arched a dark eyebrow at him.

"You forgot the 'even if you're technically a younger twin sister from hell' part, Minako-san." Aigis quipped.

"Thank you, Aigis. Now, Defendant, state your case."

"Bloody hell."

"Curse words may be taken as an offense to the Jury, nii-sama."

Minato huffed uncharacteristically, "Yes, yes... I already lost my case either way. So let me rest and pray to God that I'll be better by the weekend or no theme park for you. Good night."

"Yay!"

"Today is a school day, Minato-san. Are you sure you want to skip the day?" Aigis asked from her spot near the study desk. Minato settled comfortably, buried deep within the thick quilt that only some tufts of dark hair was visible.

"Yeah... I've never... Take a day off, anyway."

"I will stay by your side, Minato-san."

Minato groaned and made a shooing motion. "Don't. You have to take notes for me to copy. I'm relying on you."

"A mission from you..." If Aigis was a human, her blue eyes would've sparkled with childish joy. She nodded and retreated from the room, bowing to the two in the doorway and closed it.

Companionable silence settled upon the twins.

"You don't go to school?" Minato rasped with a sleepy voice.

Minako chuckled and leaned her back against the bedpost. "Idiot. Since when do we leave each other's side?"


	9. La Justice Part One

Author Note:

I'm having difficulty choosing between Ken or Chihiro, so why not both of them? Chihiro's part will be posted tomorrow, depending on internet connection. Sorry for the belated chapter and enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 **La Justice Part One**

Minato's tired, half-lidded eyes peeked from the edge of the blanket. There were dismal, dark grey clouds outside the windows and Minako was pressed snugly against his side, falling asleep just minutes after he yielded his grasp of his consciousness. They used to sleep on the same bed each time they were introduced to their new homes. Faceless relatives, blurry cities and friends who promised to write letters but not even one envelope arrived-

An index finger and a thumb pressed against his forehead, easing the frown that marred his face that he hadn't realized. "I can practically hear my smartass twin thinking, you know. I swear your brain was buzzing right next to my ears."

Then, in a softer voice, "...We're fine now."

Minato replied with a wistful smile of his own and his twin got up, stretching her body like a cat. He breathed through his mouth since his nose felt stuffy but Minato winced as his throat only got drier than before. He sniffed loudly and Minako made a disgusted face, slowly inching several centimeters away from the sick leader although the bed didn't offer more space to escape their predicament.

"I don't think idiots can get infected, Minako."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny. My MENSA test result was higher." She added sassily with a delicate roll of her shoulder. "Your point is moot, Defendant."

"Only by one point, Your Honour."

"Point taken. Your verdict stays guilty, though. I'm still sentencing you with taking me to the theme park." Minako yawned, feeling well-rested and got out from the bed.

She glaced at the wall clock. "Tsk, look at the time. I promised the Treasury that I'm going to review the budget... See ya, baby brother. Kissy kissy~" Minako winked and sent a flying kiss to Minato's direction before she closed the door which he avoided with utmost accuracy.

Minato sighed in relief before free-falling to the bed and almost cursed when he felt another pang of headache, the room felt like it was being tilted at six different angles. He rubbed his eyes, trying to chase out the stars from his vision. Actually, he was feeling certain that he wasn't that sick, if only the gnawing tiredness can be lifted somehow.

 _Knock, knock._

Just how the heck they expected him to get a rest when they always interrupted?

"Yeah, come in..." Minato grunted out, already feeling despondent.

A child's face peered from the well-lit hallway. "It's me,"

Raising his arm to beckon Ken closer would seem too tiring so Minato settled with a nod that he hoped can be seen from there. The elementary school grader shuffled to his room, taking in the interior. "Wow, your room is so tidy, Minato-san."

While Ken swept his eyes through the simple room, Minato looked over Ken's figure. Minato was the second shortest guy in their team... with Ken in the first place. But that was a given since he was still a kid.

He had seen Ken drank piping hot coffee in the kitchen in a few occasion which he had read before that it might stunt growth. And from what he had observed from the recording of Ken's room (accidentally, although Mitsuru's recording was... ehem. He should stop the thought here), the boy was revealed to be lactose-intolerant.

Which meant that he can't drink milk too much.

Which meant that Ken's height would still stayed behind him a few years before Ken can outgrow Minato.

Minato nodded his approval.

And oh yes, Minato still hold a grudge against his height.

"Umm... Minato-san?" Ken called out to the Field Leader who seemed so pleased with himself for a few seconds. Ken wondered whether their reliable leader has lost it somehow. Then, Minato sent him a look that can be read as a 'What are you doing here?'.

"Oh, umm... Minako-san sent me here to look out for you, we met in the lobby. School has been let out early and everyone else hasn't returned yet. Do you need anything?" Ken asked worriedly and padded over to Minato's bed.

Ken took one long look at Minato and said, "...You look very unwell, Senpai."

"I'm cold."

Ken quirked up an eyebrow, their Field Leader was being Captain Obvious. He really lost it.

Is there something he can do?

"Wait here," an idea popped in Ken's head and he ran from Minato's room.

* * *

Ken apparently decided that he truly needed two bright orange scarves that clashed horribly with his hair, his neck now felt hot and stuffy rather than warm. Ken missed the half-amused, half-exasperated look on Minato's face as Ken muttered under his breath that he's sorry that he can't find a green knitted cap in his closet.

He appreciated being taken care of, but this is... "Orange, really?"

Ken snorted, his face scrunched up in what Minato would've guess as pride. "Orange is the new khaki. Don't you know, Minato-san?"

"Then, blue is the king of cool," Minato retorted, feeling childish.

Forcing his throat to talk started off a chain reaction of coughing and when he can breath again, Ken winced beside him. "Your throat doesn't agree with you."

Minato huffed and staggered his leaden body to the tv to distract them.

Featherman aired now, figures.

"Oh, wow! This is the direct continuation episode from the last movie. You remember, Minato-san? It's the movie you took me with on the Movie Marathon Week!" the eleven-years old boy gushed with sparkling eyes, unabashedly talking with animated voice about his favourite show, making Minato couldn't believe that he was the same boy who spent his weekend in a shrine like an old man.

Ken's admiring voice drifted him off to sleep as the show continued, he let it be.

When he woke up, Ken was curled up near his blanketed feet with the sundown's light as the background. Minato felt well enough although his head was still pounding heavily.

He smiled at Ken's tired figure and carried the little brat back to his own room on his back. Minato decided to ignore Junpei's look when the two piggy-backed to Ken's room.


	10. La Justice Part Two

**Chapter 10**

 **La Justice Part Two**

Minato sighed, patting Chihiro's long, silky brown hair as the timid treasurer pounded on Minato's door repeatedly in vain. The poor girl trembled and a tear leaked out from the corner of her eye. It was cute, Minato admitted. But their current predicament was not the right call to compliment a girl now, apparently.

The two were locked. In his room. Alone together.

And Minako's booming laughter from the other side of the door made it worser.

"Woot! Go on baby brother, continue the crusade!" followed by a long string of encouraging words that would make a harlot blush.

"No! Let me out, Minako-Senpai!" she panicked.

Chihiro yelped when he touched her shoulder and Minato held up his hands in a placating motion, trusting Chihiro's judgment that he wouldn't do anything. Minato was traumatized enough by Mitsuru's means of asserting orderly behaviour that he wouldn't risk his life on the line. Again.

Besides, Chihiro was one of the people whose trust he valued. Knowing that Chihiro has a phobia for men yet she willingly visited him, in his room, right after Minako gave her a call that he was sick made it worthier. In the beginning of their relationship, it took him a good half of a month just to get her to talk with him and they had gone a long way to get to the point of visiting casually.

"You're safe with me," he rasped, tucking brown hair to her ear. The tips of Chihiro's ears went red mysteriously. Hmm...

"Either way, we still have to wait until my evil twin from hell got bored and turn over the key-" Chihiro chuckled.

"-So let's not waste our breath and relax." The Treasurer nodded, hiding a laugh with the back of her hand and sat on the only chair of the room. Her presence of mind apparently returned and Minato felt humbled by the display of trust. A feather-light feeling caressed his chest and he could feel the link that connected them through his mind. The Justice rotated calmly.

Minato piled up the pillows to create a makeshift fort around his bed. "This is my area. You may not pass this point, young lady."

Peals of laughter filled the room and Chihiro wiped her eyes, "No, hahaha. Sorry for panicking earlier, Minato-san. I... trust you," the last syllable was said in a soft voice that Minato might not heard it if only they weren't alone.

"...Thank you," the heartfelt genuineness startled Chihiro and she looked away from the blue-haired senior's warm molten grey eyes. There was too much truth injected within those words.

SIlence passed between them for a moment and Chihiro scrambled for something to do when she remembered something she bought in the used book store. Minato watched her with curious eyes as she presented a manga book to him.

"I don't know if you remember, but this manga was done by the same artist who drew the illustration collection I wanted back in the used book store," she explained as Minato's long fingers turned the thin paper sheet by sheet.

Minato mused, "This is the first shoujo manga I read,"

"Really? I thought you're the type that reads anything, Minato-san."

"True, I am. But this really is the my first read of a shoujo manga." His eyebrow rose, "The boobs are bi-"

"Hwaaa! Don't say it out loud with me here!" Chihiro yelled as she cupped her ears. Minato howled out a laugh but was interrupted by his incessant cough. He snickered as Chihiro pouted.

Minato closed the manga book and turned to Chihiro's direction. He scratched his left cheek, "Well, do you want to know why Minako said 'continue the crusade'?"

Chihiro blushed like a ripe tomato, "W-why t-then?"

Minato smiled, expecting Chihiro's reaction. But the actual history was much different from what she visioned, probably. He decided to be as honest as he can. Then, Minato inhaled and exhaled, throwing his mind back to a particular remembrance and warping it in pretty words.

Entrusting a piece of their past in Chihiro's hands, disguised as a fairytale.

"There was a book we read once, it was a picture book for children," Minato started and Chihiro's attention focused on him. Minato coughed once to his hand, sounding so serious that Chihiro chuckled.

"So, once upon a time the world began with two opposing forces," Chihiro smiled, wondering why the beginning sounded so cliché.

"Born in the axis of the world, Darkness and Light co-existed together, watching over the world for centuries and arrived in a country which was littered by death and fire. The people of the country disappeared one another after Darkness and Light resided over them, so the people-" his throat constricted.

"-prayed for Darkness and Light to be casted away and fearing the rage of the people, Darkness and Light left the country. They eventually found another country, but the cycle repeated for every few centuries."

Chihiro frowned, "Aren't they lonely?"

"...Yes, they were lonely," Minato nodded, "Then, Darkness and Light grew tired and they promised one another. That they shall crusade the world together and made contract with as many humans as they could find,"

He shakily said the last few words. "So that even if one of them disappear, the other half would never be lonely again."

But then, he smiled. "In the final country they crusade to, in a country where the people was ravaged by humanity's bleakest despair, they accepted both deities as one and-"

Minato took another breath, "-the kindness of the people bloomed the true future, colouring the world. They tied Darkness and Light together..."

"...And changed the sorrowful end the story had into a tale of possibility." He finished.

Chihiro said nothing, did nothing and kept still long after Minato slept and Minako turned over the key, freeing her. She stopped near Minato's bed before she went home and adjusted his blanket while his twin grinned behind her shoulder. Minako apologized for her prank and told Chihiro to 'rotate the watchkeeper'.

Before she closed the door, she saw Minako coaxed her brother to wake up with caring gentleness and spoon-fed the chicken soup Shinjiro-senpai prepared.

As she landed her body in her single bed, Chihiro grasped a hand against her chest through the soft material of her pyjamas. She wanted the intensified feeling to settle down. It was piling up in the back of her heart.

* * *

A book, titled _Shirokuro,_ authorized by a literature undergraduate student was published five years later.

* * *

 **Author Note:**

Shirokuro (白黒) means Monochrome.


	11. L'Hermite

**Author Note: For Asahar4.**

 **Enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!^^  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

 **L'Hermite**

Minato was the greatest traitor of the century.

"I'll kill you, Minato," she muttered darkly, gripping the thin cards on her hands with enough force to break.

The teen who bowed until his forehead touched the coffee table in _seiza_ position snorted a nasal laugh, his shoulder shaking in an effort to stop laughing. "I'm very sorry, Sensei. I'll bring you a cake to the Faculty Room as compensation."

"Ehh! You'll bake? I want your Mont Blanc cake!" Minako piped in cheerfully from her position to Minato's upper right. The four of them sat forming a square formation on the sitting room of the second floor. Her brother sneezed and sniffed politely after taking another sheet of tissue, throwing it like a professional basketball player to a half-full trash can near the vending machine.

Swoosh, two points for Minato.

"Ugh, anything other than Mont Blanc." Ms. Toriumi crossed her arms. "I'll expect three cakes on Monday,"

Minato broke a sweat, "One"

"Three! You've skipped school for three days." she insisted.

"Two, then." Minato said as he mentally calculated the raging price of the ingredients.

"Deal," their homeroom teacher agreed with a smug smile, as if she hasn't got a Wild Card +4 and was forced to forsake her turn. Minato sighed and called out "Blue card," with a quiet, surrendering tone. His wallet, which got even thinner after Minako begged for a new naginata, was done for.

"I wonder why you received a home visit when I didn't," Junpei complained with a pout. Imagine his surprise when Ms. Toriumi was knocking on Minato's room with Minako by her side. He was about to get the twins to play Uno with him, too.

"If you're repentant and become a model student, Sensei will visit you too when you're sick, Iori."

"Hell no. Studying is saved for a few days before exam." He said as he discarded a Blue card with 5 printed on it to the growing pile of cards.

"Thanks, Junpei-kun! You're my hero," Minako threw a card loudly, discarding a Yellow 5. Minato groaned and drew the top card from the deck while Junpei swelled with pride, only finding another yellow card after the stacks in his hands reached the same amount as Ms. Toriumi's.

There goes his chance for declaring 'Uno!'

"Karma is a bitch, amateur."

Minato drank his vitamin water, "For the record we're going to keep, I've won three times out of four sets."

"And for the record we're going to keep, you're the one who wanted to play another set when I won," his twin –bless her mischievous soul- winked girlishly.

Junpei cracked a grin and snaked an arm over her shoulder.

"You're my new bro from now on, Minako."

The undefeatable Field Leader sulked and muttered something under his breath.

"Sore loser~" the two singsonged.

* * *

They ended the games with three wins for Minato, four wins for Minako and two wins each for Junpei and Ms. Toriumi. Seeing that the last stretch of sundown has disappeared from the horizon, Ms. Toriumi excused herself after appointing Minato some home assignments which Junpei had never felt any luckier that he never get sick.

The honor student went to his room to put the books away and the remaining Junpei and Minako took Ms. Toriumi to the front door, bidding her good night and 'see you on Monday'. But not even twenty steps away from the school dormitory, the short light brown-haired teacher heard footsteps following behind her.

She turned back and was face-to-face with a bundled up Minato. He wore a grey jumper and two thick scarves around his neck and face that only the tips of his ears and silver eyes were visible of his flushing face.

Ms. Toriumi breathed out and was ready to argue, to send Minato back to the warmth of the dorm. But after she took one long look at Minato's visible eyes, her shoulder fell. Minato looked very determined to not taking her advice.

"You're going to escort me?" she asked in disbelief.

The teen younger than her by eight years shrugged and said in scratchy voice, "I'm going to the supermarket. It's just a coincidence that the route is the same,"

"For?"

"Cake ingredients. What else?"

She sighed, "I'm going with you. It'll be my responsibility if you fall over,"

"I won't," Minato chuckled and led the way.

* * *

"Isn't it easier if you just buy the cakes at the bread shop?" Ms. Toriumi asked as Minato compared two brands of bread flour and threw one box to the shopping cart. It looked like Minato didn't hear her question, as he pulled up his phone and recited the rest of the ingredients, eyes scanning the high ceiling rack. They passed two elderly citizens and she missed the opportunity to glance at his phone.

"Dear, look at those newlyweds," the bespectacled old man smiled, he missed a tooth or two.

The tips of Ms. Toriumi's ears redden at the implication. She and Minato? Oh God, did they looked like newlyweds? That's a joke! They were eight years apart!

...But there were many boys who preferred older woman, right? ...Is Minato even one of them?

She put up her hands, trying to assuage the misunderstanding when Minato interjected. "Bunkichi-san, you should get your glasses replaced. Seriously, how many times have this happened?"

"That's Minato-chan, dear," the old man's wife came up behind him, fingers intertwined together. Ms. Toriumi breathed out in relief, although there was a twinge of disappointment somewhere.

It's not like she'd admit it, though.

The old man called Bunkichi laughed, "I'm just joking. I know that it's Minato-chan. I'm not that old, Mitsuko."

His wife shook her head and enveloped Ms. Toriumi's hands. "Forgive my husband, we should get his glasses replaced," her eyes crinkled shut in grandmotherly tenderness and she replied with a smile of her own.

Seeing the elderly couple, she wondered what the future would bring.

* * *

Two slices of Castella arrived on Monday and she has to discreetly hid it away before her colleagues can fight over it.

And in the dark of the night, accompanied by cheap beer alone in her six tatami apartment, the cake tasted delicious. It looked like the myth to not trust a man who can cook is a lie, after all.


	12. La Roue de Fortune

**Author Note:**

Edited as of 12/08/2016 with a helpful guest review. Thank you :)

You guys nearly gave me a heart attack when I saw the viewer traffic. You make this poor sod so happy *sob*

And also, this chapter was supposed to have more BL vibe but the author turned into a chicken after the first few paragraphs so the chapter turned out this way. Thanks for reading and have a nice day^^

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

 **La Roue de Fortune**

"Gulp it all down."

Minato whimpered.

"No, it's bitter."

"It's your senior's order. You know I can force you,'

"But we're friends, aren't we? Can you just spare me this time?"

"Nope, I'm your Senpai for now."

Silence. Then, someone huffed.

"Look at you, your face is red."

"I'm fine."

"No one who is fine fainted in the middle of the hallway,"

"Seriously, you looked as if you're going to take me overseas by a helicopter for a damn _fever,_ Senpai."

Keisuke's face showed a clear surprise, "Huh? Are you psychic, Minato? I just called the hospital's helicopter and my dad cleared the permission. It's supposed to land five minutes from now, though. Hang in there!"

* * *

"...It's a real helicopter..."

"Of course it is!" Showoff.

Minato covered his ears from the loud, annoying sound of the machine as blades of grass flew wildly in front of the school gate.

The bushes were cropped while the trees closest to the gate suffered the most damage, Minato winced as the propeller hit the branches and snapped them off.

Many students who had just finished their club activity ran outside, excitedly pointing like children at the red-painted rescue helicopter owned by the only hospital of Iwatodai.

But the group of students parted like the red sea when Minato, who embarrassingly leaned on the senior's shoulder walked towards the helicopter. Cue the walk of shame.

He wished he can just point the Evoker to his temple and shouted "Trafuri!" and disappeared from the whole school.

Fuck, Mitsuru would have a field day chewing him off.

The shiny Chopper's ski-shaped landing gear touched the ground proudly and the pilot turned off the propeller, opening the door for them.

At this point, Minato had put on his best cool as cucumber expression, too exasperated to be ashamed.

He'll save the freaking out part in his own room for later.

It was all fine until the pilot left his seat and Keisuke switched his position with the pilot.

"Y-You're piloting?" Oh God, please no more surprise today.

Keisuke's face turned serious for a moment and his voice could be heard clearly from his headset.

"I'll ascertain your safety by my own hands."

He could see Minako waving at him cheerfully from the rooftop, accompanied by Fuuka who dropped her onigiri and mouth agape. His evil twin mouthed something that suspiciously formed 'Don't fall off, baby brotheeerr~'

Minato threw his arms up and gave in.

* * *

"It's all my fault, I'm really sorry..." Keisuke said as he helped Minato to sit on the hospital bed. He wanted to tell the senior that he was truly alright, but seeing Keisuke who looked like he was walking on eggshell, Minato kept his mouth shut.

" I was so scared when you fainted on me. All I could think about was what would happen if you didn't wake up. Everything I learned in my study was useless because I got cold feet. What if the procedures are wrong? What if there's an internal injury? Those kind of things," he rambled on.

Minato leaned back against the pillow that smelled faintly like softener.

"You don't have to. I'm not worth the effort,"

That was what he believed.

Until a robot wished to be useful to him when he was sick, until a brat lent him orange scarves, until a girl who was afraid of men willingly visited him alone in his room, until a teacher checked his condition under the guise of a home visit, until a senior phoned a helicopter for him.

"What are you talking about?! Don't say something sad like that!"

Being exposed to that extent of care was strange, different. He was afraid of getting used to the soft, feather-light caress of the links that bound everyone to his side. The more important these people became to him, the more worried he became. Of what tomorrow would bring, of his own ability to protect everyone.

It used to be much simpler when it was just about his and Minako's survival.

But it won't be about 'themselves' anymore and he cared more than he let on. It was a weak notion to even think that it was enough with just the two of them. Those were... things he and Minako didn't have before.

He was a fool, a fool to the very end.

"...You want to be a doctor?"

Keisuke shrugged, calming down from his earlier outburst. "I don't know. But... Saving a life is much more satisfying than letting anyone die, no?"

"When my dad was young, his best friend died. He told me that he just fainted all of a sudden and it was too late when the medics got there." He chuckled mirthlessly.

"Seeing you lying there-" His glasses were blurry, "-I thought for a second that history was going to repeat itself."

Minato smiled to himself and reached the senior's shoulder, patting the sweat-soaked uniform. Keisuke continued.

"Toriumi-sensei told me about, you know... ten years ago? I came from an influential family and I live sheltered for the rest of my childhood, so I won't say that I understood your situation. My parents are always there for me. I can't even imagine what you two had went through."

Perhaps, he had taken his parents for granted. Keisuke had never known how to show familial affection since he was surrounded by it everyday.

He would open his mouth and there would be food. He would open his palms and there would be pocket money. He would call to be picked up and a limousine would park in front of his school.

Keisuke only realized that now.

Minato didn't respond and Keisuke watched from the corner of his eyes as the younger teen's chest rose and fell steadily with his measured breaths. He looked content and without saying anything else, he extended a hand and pulled Minato up.

The two exited the hospital in silence and headed to the station after Minato rejected being transported over to the dorm with the helicopter.

Keisuke paid for the ticket and they stood in front of the station. In a solemn voice and eyes casted downward, Keisuke said, "Just... don't get hurt, okay? I won't let anything bad happened to you as long as I'm alive."

Then, realising that Minato didn't say anything back, he looked up.

"What's wrong?"

Facing him, Minato was smiling, with the sunset as the backdrop. The shadow caught his glasses, but he was too mesmerized to notice. Keisuke felt rather than heard at the indelible, raw compassion that surged through the dark haired young man and Minato said in a voice with so many emotions that sounded so different from his usual pensiveness.

Because Minato was so colourless sometimes that only the most violent emotions suited him.

Like devotion, like kindness.

"I, too, won't let anything bad happen to you and everyone as long as I'm alive."

Keisuke would never forget that face, one that appeared like he was holding the sky on his shoulder until every fiber of his being and bone in his body snapped. And for a moment, he looked as if he could disappear anytime.


	13. La Force

**Chapter 13**

 **La Force**

"That'll be ¥ 131.250 for 10, sir."

Minato gave fourteen ¥ 10.000 notes from his wallet and pocketed the change.

The female receptionist bowed politely as she received the notes and punched the keyboard, administering the group under two rooms although her surprise was palpable even with the guise of subtle make-up. High school hotel guests were rare, those who paid from their own wallets were even rarer.

"Your rooms are 101 and 102, sir." The receptionist said as she gave two swipe cards to Minato.

"Free meals are for breakfast and dinner. And here-" she traced one red-painted fingernail to Minato's knuckle as she handed an envelope, "-are the admission tickets to Spa Resort Hawaiians Water Park complementary to your stay. Check-out time is 10 AM and there's also an hourly shuttle bus from this hotel to Tokyo Station. Please enjoy our Hotel Hawaiians and have a nice stay."

Mentally counting the precious money left in his wallet, they barely had enough for train ride to Iwatodai now. Minato sighed quietly, money from Tartarus and Elizabeth's quests made them filthy rich but between the sky-high price of equipment (not mentioning the overpriced butler suits which Minako forced the boys to wear. Minato swore that wherever the hell Kurosawa-san got them is beyond him) and daily spending, it was dwindling as fast as trickling sand.

The rest of the group chatted loudly behind him, waiting with glazed, excited air around them while the Field Leader slash Treasurer was left to deal with the receptionist alone. In one glance, they didn't even looked like a group of teenagers that pointed guns to their heads on daily basis. Forgetting their current financial crisis, Minato absorbed the carefree atmosphere around him, thankful for the sunny weather.

The midnight-haired teen jogged back to his teammates, who cheered loudly when they saw the tickets in Minato's hands. He handed the tickets one by one and took Koromaru's leash since they'll be too busy running around to keep watch of the dog. Children, all of them.

A bell-boy around their age approached the group, asking politely to Minato for their room numbers and they piled their overnight bags to the cart.

"Why can't we go to the water park first? Let's go to that dome!" Junpei said as he pointed to a big, dome-like structure visible from the hotel's lobby. It looked like he has just voiced out the thoughts of several people, because some of the overexcited ones quickly whipped out their faces to Minato, waiting his reply.

"No, we can't. Get to our rooms first. I don't want anyone complaining that their bags are missing in the water park." Minato stated his verdict, deadpan.

And as if herding a bunch of kindergartners, Minato shooed his teammates to the elevator.

As soon as his fever abated, Minako quickly demanded his sickness-induced promise. She even brought Aigis who was present as the key witness when he promised to 'go to whatever theme park or other embarrassing places if he survived'. He did agreed, since a man never goes back on his words.

But somehow, Junpei and Ken got wind of it, and then Junpei told Yukari who roped Mitsuru to join who asked their hard-working Navigator to go relax once in a while and Koromaru who had just arrived after walking out with Akihiko barked happily, somehow understanding their conversation.

And that's where the problem lies.

Most theme parks doesn't allow pets. But no one could possibly be cruel enough to leave Koromaru alone to guard the dorm while they have fun.

"Dude, swear to us that we're not leaving poor Koro-chan alone," Junpei said with an exaggerated pout. Ken scooped up Koromaru and patted the Shiba Inu's drooping ears.

"Of course not," Minato said drily. He sent a look to Fuuka who blinked timidly but soon understood the silent telepathy and pulled up her laptop. That was how they found the theme park that allowed pets.

"It looks like everyone can go, Koro-chan," Aigis said, ascertaining them that the robot really did seemed to be able to communicate with him.

"Woof! Woof!"

Problem solved.

* * *

The group lined up in front of the rotating, cylinder glass that separated the admission gates and the water park. They got a wet, water-resistant stamp in their knuckles that signed their unlimited ride tickets and they were good to go.

"I must say, the long trip is worth it," Akihiko glanced around the massive, stadium-sized structure which encompassed rectangle-shaped building, wearing a black rash guard while Junpei in coconut tree-patterned board shorts whistled as if he was seeing a bikini haven for the first time. The water park was mostly visited by families and couples, with groups of girls in swimsuits here and there but his selective vision was useful for times like this.

Surprisingly, it was Mitsuru who was too dazed to say anything.

"Hey, are you nervous, senpai?" Yukari who wore her new peach-colored tankini bumped her shoulder with the heiress and grinned. Mitsuru smiled, looked comfortable in her hawaiian-styled swimsuit, courtesy of Kirijo Group's fashion designer.

"Overwhelmed." She said simply. This... water park was very, very different from their private beach back in Yakushima. There were screaming children here and there and people from all age waded around in a pool that swirled like elongated doughnut.

It was chaotic.

Aigis quipped, suddenly standing behind Junpei. "There are approximately 1.020 people in this facility,"

"Shit, you scared the hell outta me," he said as he griped his chest in mock horror.

"Senpai! Look, there's a Hula dance show," Fuuka who had just arrived from the changing room ran towards them, her modest white northerly harness swimsuit, directing their attentions to an open-air Beach Theater in the corner of the water park.

"We're late, the show has started," Ken noted helpfully, looking up to his seniors from orange-tinted swimming googles. His grey knee-high wetsuit matched with Koromaru's own, who frolicked excitedly and drew the attention of several girls who cooed at him.

"Well, don't worry because the next show will be in the evening!" Minako snuggled between Yukari and Mitsuru, linking each of her arms to their own.

"Why the heck are you wearing a one piece?!" Junpei cried, devastated that Minako hid more skin than even Fuuka. He and Akihiko were looking forward to see Minako in bikini, splashing water to them with a wide, carefree grin of hers...

Sigh.

"Ouch!" someone knocked Junpei's torso.

A low, threatening voice whispered to his ear, chuckling darkly. "Stop gawking at my sister. Or else."

"Minato!" Junpei whipped his body back playfully, not expecting him to wear a tee-shirt in a water park. "Shit, you're even worser. You're a guy! C'mon, take off those horrible tee-shirt! Take it off!"

Frowning, Minato glared but soon gave in when the rest of SEES looked at him weirdly and he took off his oversized black tee-shirt.

They stilled for a moment, giving themselves some time to recover from the sight of dark blue speedo against Minato's pale thighs and toned upper body. Either their thoughts showed on their faces or Minato was an incredible psychic, Minato arched one eyebrow.

"Better?"

"Better."

"I'll take over Koromaru for now since pets can't enter the pools." He made a shooing motion with a hand while his left one took Koromaru's leash from Ken.

He smirked, grey eyes twinkling with amused mirth. "Enjoy the water park, brats."

* * *

It was evening when the group tire themselves out and rode every water rides the Spa Resort Hawaiians could offer. It coincided with the time for the Grand Polynesian Show started. The seats were filled with cheering audience but the dynamic was soon filled with thrums of excitement as the lineup of energetic Hula girls moved rhythmically to allow the Fire Knife male dancers to command the attention of the guests.

The dramatic scene started with a wild, energy-packed Samoan-styled dance. The dancers used baton-like handle with some fabrics that were molded to both ends of the baton. The dance was too fast for their eyes, but then a man who became the centerpiece of the dance took hold of the stage and subsequently their focus shifted to the man, who threw the baton high into the air and caught it, finishing his lap with a wide sweep of toned arms. The audience shouted with amazed awe.

Not finished yet, the lines of dancers gave space to the man who, upon closer look, wore bone-shaped necklace. He threw a fierce look to the audience and his movement became faster with each seconds, until the audience was unaware of his dance partner that handed a bottle of gasoline to the man. He drank the bottle and-

Blaze of fire.

Captivating and surging with both rivulets of electrifying thrill and warped danger. Dancing on the edge of spurred inferno at its best.

The Beach Theater burned with an intense quiver of heat.

* * *

 **Author Note**

The water park featured in this chapter is the Spa Resort Hawaiians located in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture. I've never gone to Japan so what I researched was from internet and the reviews about the water park. The hotel they stayed in was the real-life Hotel Hawaiians available near the resort.

The fee for the hotel includes admission to the water park and free shuttle bus which was ¥ 131.250 for 10 (including Koromaru, the room fee was ¥ 13.125 per adult or junior high school and older) which is about 1.141.875 USD which is about 14 millions in my nation's currency *sweatdrop*

It was, by far, the hardest chapter I've ever written. It was a fun chapter to write, though. Hope you enjoyed this as much as I do! Thanks for reading and tell me what you think^^


	14. Le Pendu

**Author Note**

Heads up! This chapter had some inklings to the La Justice Part Two chapter. You can go back first to refresh your memory. Also, this chapter includes a cameo character with a bizarrely bizarre ooc theory. Thanks for reading and tell me what you think^^ Oh, or you can give me a prompt if you want.

 **Chapter 14**

 **Le Pendu**

"Minato? Who's that?"

Her mom asked with an absent-minded voice as she cleaned the dusts off her glasses. Her near-sighted eyes needed the framed glasses after years of working in front of a computer. Maiko clicked her tongue as she put her backpack on the sofa and climbed up to dad's lap and settled on his torso as he drank in the words on the newspaper.

"You don't remember, Mom?" Maiko reminded. "It's the high school student who played with me!"

"That boy?" Dad asked in shock. "That punk?" He hadn't been paying attention to many things Maiko talked about, but he definitely remembered the first time when Maiko talked about a _boy._

Oh God, he remembered now. It was the teen who had walked Maiko home that one time when he had forgotten after he got his promotion as the branch manager and partied with his colleagues in Club Escapade. The memory of a dark haired, pale boy in school uniform and an auburn-haired girl with pierced tongue who relaxed in a lounge reserved for VIP while talking with a wayward monk who smoked and drank like there's no tomorrow came to the forefront of his mind.

"I saw him after a company party in Club Escapade. He's in a bad crowd, you know."

Her mom gasped "Maiko, you shouldn't hang out with him anymore! There's no knowing with teenagers nowadays," she reprimanded. Maiko ducked her head to the table, hindering her dad from reading the newspaper.

"You don't even go to the piano lesson anymore," she frowned, pensive. "I got a call from your teacher, Maiko. You were also late to the cram school. You played with that boy again, don't you? You have to pass the exam to enter Gekkoukan Junior High, it's the best private school here."

Her dad scratched his greying head in irritation, "Mai, it's enough. Don't force her to study non-stop."

"I just want the best for Maiko." She countered and sneered, "Unlike you who don't even know which one is home and office."

There was a prolonged silence at the kitchen while the atmosphere was tense with unleashed anger. Maiko pushed away from the table before she could get caught between the crossfire and rushing out from the kitchen before hints of tears could leak through and she succumbed to the tight feeling in her chest.

Maiko pushed open her pink wardrobe harshly and took out her favourite schoolbag. It was something she bought from her own money after she saved up for three months. Her savings weren't enough so dad and mom secretly slipped their own money to her pocket but she found out about that and she laughed at their clumsiness.

Disliking the thought, Maiko wiped her unbidden tears and crammed her pyjamas, a small blanket, toothbrush and health insurance card to the small bag. She told herself to calm down, that this was a scenario she and Minato had thought up before. Her parents were wrong, Minato-san is a good person and she would challenge hell itself to prove it.

How dare they for thinking that Minato-san is a punk.

Even if that was the case, at least he was there for her. He played with an elementary school grader like her and made her happy. He didn't belittle her problem at home and truly listened. He knew her favourite food and drink without her saying anything. She snorted, it's been a long time since the three of them took a walk together. She didn't even remember the last time dad took her out to eat in the shopping district.

Maiko was about to open her windows when she remembered something. She hurried back to her study desk and crawled under it, revealing a secret tatami that she could open with her thin fingers and grabbed her secret stash of three cans of Mad Bull before she stuffed it into the bag, closing it up with a final 'click'.

Her shaking hands gripped the windowsill and she cluttered out, crawling inch by inch along the short railing and she let go one of her hands to reach the edge of the drain pipe attached to the outer wall. The cold wind didn't help her nervousness as Maiko glided down, hanging by the bare, brittle drain pipe.

She ran out of luck as Maiko yelped, losing her slippery grip on the only thread between falling to the cemented car port. But the ledge broke her fall and she made a loud crashing sound that would alert everyone within the immediate vicinity. With a start, the girl ran away from home, never looking back.

On the third day, Oohashi Maiko was reported missing by two agitated, high-strung parents.

* * *

Minato had never looked so murderous.

"It's your fault," he said with a low growl, silver eyes hidden behind dark hair. But it looked so _wrong_ that they froze under the stare and even Minako didn't dare to touch him.

They said that raw, undiluted anger brought out someone's darker side to light and Minako recognized that voice, one that had tried to defend her against all odds, a long time ago.

"Wh- You don't know anything! You can't possibly understand this! Maiko... why would you...?" the woman cried for her missing daughter, not noticing the way Minato's eyes sharpen. After two sleepless days of searching that started at Maiko's favourite takoyaki shop and ended at the park in the temple, even their teeth-clenched teamwork couldn't find Maiko anywhere.

"You heard me," he smirked with a haunted voice. "It's all your fault, you useless adults." He could see the man who called himself Maiko's dad gritted his teeth but his lower lip wobbled, coming to term with the truth in Minato's words. He was right, and those fools had dared to hurt one of _his_ links. Everyone who belonged to _him_ and they were _his._

Minato didn't understand this anger, this desire to rip anyone who hurt those who were bound to him. But he understood this _need_ to protect, to preserve things the way they were, to erase any trace of suffering from their skin no matter what it took.

He was now simply saying whatever things that came to his mind to hurt them. He wanted to hurt them for things Maiko had went through, for changing the cheerful, energetic Maiko he was used to and reduced her into a vulnerable child with nowhere else to go, for making her seeking refuge in a deserted park, her world crumbling and it was all because of these adults.

He wanted them to break.

Minako saw the glint and closed in on her brother, trying to pacify him. "Minato, it's not like they wanted Maiko to be gone," Minako whispered some semblance of reason into her brother's figure, strained with tension. Minako could see that he was falling harder, playing a role as if he could save everyone. As if he could prevent anything bad from happening to them.

Because Minato was made from the pieces of their childhood, broken by abandonment and mosaics of Arisato Minako.

"...Let's call her," she voiced, drawing Minato away from those dark thoughts.

"Who?" Minato asked, confused and he searched Minako's face for the answer. After a period of silence, realization dawned on Minato and he looked at his twin in disbelief.

"She is the best chance to find Maiko," Minako reasoned and after pondering over the idea, Minato nodded and pulled out his phone.

He turned to those useless adults, " If anything happens to Maiko, I will sue your ass off and throw you to the jail and both of you will die rotting away in the pisspot like the shitty adults you are. I hope you feel glad for everything you did to Maiko."

He left the vicinity to make his call.

* * *

A figure closed in.

It was raining heavily and Maiko watched warily from the abandoned store house's threshold, adjusting the small blanket on her shoulder. She looked around, large brown eyes unsure of what she was searching for. The bare lighting of the store house didn't provide her with a better vision this night.

Her body went rigid with awareness as she caught a lean figure standing in the middle of the rain, holding an umbrella. The drops of crying sky made everything blurry but Maiko knew very well who it was. The figure walked towards her, bringing a sharp contrast from the blue sheen of the moonlight that peeked through the cracks on the roof. The feet stopped a mere inch before her and held out a hand that she took all too gladly.

The lean, skinny figure with dark hair had found her and as she was lifted up from the crates she hid in, the moonlight shone on the silver of his eyes.

"Minato-san!"

Minato chuckled and coaxed her to return to her home, but she was afraid to return for fear of being on the receiving end of her parents' anger.

"No, they're waiting for you. Your mom cried when I met her, looking for you," it was weird, Maiko thought. Did Minato-san got a cold? His voice sounded different...

"...Okay..." she acquiesced and left the cold, empty store house within the safety of Minato's hands.

* * *

A young man opened the front door of the police station where they gathered and the well-oiled hinges of the door creaked open smoothly. The teen who looked like Minato appeared from the doorway with Maiko in hand and lifted off his cap.

Without the cap, heavy fringes of midnight-coloured hair fell over his forehead, covering quicksilver eyes before those eyes swept over them and finally rested on his mirror-like comparison.

"You owe me a favor, Minato," Maiko froze for the first time, confused by the situation. She noticed the Gekkoukan uniform the other Minato wore and walked up behind him. The first Minato smiled and introduced himself.

"I'm Shirogane Naoto, private detective." The introduction was cut short when Maiko's mom wailed.

"Maiko! Oh, my daughter," she looked around, noticing her parents coming towards them. She glanced up at them in distrust and held onto Minato.

"Why are you here?" she insisted. "You both had work."

Minato reached out behind him and pinched Maiko's nose. The girl let out a pained howl and batted his offending hand away. But the way that his eyes met hers that seemed to soften with serenity made her stomach curled.

"Go," he clasped her shoulder gently. "They're worried about you."

Her mom started sobbing, "What a relief... You almost gave me a heart attack, young lady!"

The family matter was resolved in seconds and although Maiko was crying, she looked happy to know that her parents were worried for her. Minato looked at the family and there was a period of silence as they waited for something to happen. The teen who wore Gekkoukan uniform took a deep breath and let it out through his mouth to calm his agitated nerves.

However, despite their initial collected thoughts, Minato's expected anger never came. What they got instead was something that felt ten times worser than the first notion.

Disappointment.

But aside from that, what he did next was even more surprising and silver eyes settled on both adults before their owner closed his eyelids and executed a perfect 90° bow.

There was something he wished to safeguard. The current him would know that much, being surrounded by many things he wanted to protect at all cost and Maiko's happiness became one of them.

Minato _bowed._

"Please... don't abandon her anymore."

At the end of it, he was relieved that the family solved their own problem, that a smile returned to Maiko's face and that for the first time, Minato had bowed his head to adults.

* * *

Naoto Shirogane clasped on her black leather gloves, looking over the twins as they waited for the car that would whisk the detective back to the vast expanse of Shirogane Manor. The atmosphere was strange but it was to be expected, considering what happened back then.

"Uncle sent his regard to you," she began, knowing full well that no one wanted to have this conversation.

Minato replied, on edge. "Why do you start talking about him?"

"Someone has to do it," Minako chirped in as she took in the view of Iwatodai Port. "Right, little sister?"

Naoto huffed, sending her fringes to be blown by the chilling air, "We're cousins," she reminded. "Twice removed."

"Look, we've been disinherited from the mighty Shirogane line, anyway. We don't have any ties anymore,"

"But blood is thicker than water, Minato-niisama,"

"Bullshit."

Time's up. A sleek, black sedan with tinted windows pulled up near the bridge and honked. Naoto sighed, feeling that Father Time had been cruel enough. Not enough time, too many things to resolve...

She got up and Minako came up in front of her, enveloping her smaller frame completely in a hug. "Come back home next Christmas, let's celebrate your birthday." Naoto mumbled against Minako's uniform and the usually peppy older sister figure smiled sadly. "...I don't think we can make it."

Naoto swallowed the disheartened voice on the back of her mind and nodded in understanding. It was a notion that was too much to ask for. She left the cocoon of warmth from Minako's hug and walked away, not expecting the same gesture from the young man who used to be her perfect role model.

"...C'mere," Minato said quietly and it was enough for Naoto to look up in surprise. The seconds ticked away and only after Minato extended both his arms that Naoto rammed against him, hiding her face against the crook of his neck. It was warm, like the young man himself.

The hug ended as fast as it came. It was too short for her liking but it was enough that the bubbly feeling remained within her. But as she spared one last glance, a sickness that spurned from their younger days penetrated into her mind. Not in a meaning that it would make her suffer, but in a meaning that it placed its roots evenly along every neuron, every synapse and Naoto didn't even know when it started to grow its flowers and fruits.

"Minato-niisama," she started, growing bolder with each words. "You wouldn't be disinherited if you take me as your bride, would you?"

And Naoto ran away before she could hear anything from Minato's mouth.

* * *

"Awww you should've seen Minato's face! It was so precious," Minako sighed blissfully as her legs dangled from the queen-sized bed. Mitsuru bit her fingernails to hide her surprise and Yukari groaned in her pillows. Fuuka was too focused on maintaining the firewalls of the school site with Aigis' help. The girls were having a pyjamas party in Mitsuru's room simply because hers was the biggest room.

"I didn't factor in the possibility that even the powerful Shirogane heiress would want him... The competition is getting tougher," Mitsuru analyzed.

Minako got hyped up. "The story was that this girl was so enamored with Minato even back when we were children. I think she herself didn't realize that, though."

Yukari leaned forward with a carefully-hidden curiosity. "Did he looked that handsome back then?"

Minako sent her a wide grin, "Of course!" and browsed the picture gallery on her phone, pulling up an ancient photo of a seven years old boy that was salvaged from what was left of their old home.

The girls cooed.

Oh, this is where the juicy bits started, "So, one day, to discourage her advance –she used to stalk Minato, you know- my baby brother said that he liked to be friends with boys. And guess what?" at her tone, even Fuuka and Aigis perked up and left the laptop temporarily.

"She changed her name and cut her long hair and bleach it!"

They gasped in sync. "It was bizarre," Fuuka whispered, voicing their united thoughts.

"You don't say! I'm not even finished yet," the girls formed a tight circle, straining their ears for Minako's words with no intention to misheard anything.

"You know Maiko?" Minako said with a low whisper, as if it was a secret. Aigis' eyes showed rows of numbers and when they heard a soft 'beep', the Steel Maiden nodded, "Oohashi Maiko, sixth grader of Iwatodai Elementary School. She is one of Ken's classmates. She went missing a few days ago and was later found in one of Iwatodai Port's store houses."

Minako rubbed her palms together, "Do you know? When Maiko left with her parents, she yelled so loudly in Paulownia Mall, in front of many people, that she wants to be Minato's bride when she grows up!"

Yukari joined Mitsuru who bit her fingernails incessantly.

"Two marriage proposals in one day is a bit too overkill, don't you think? It was like starring in a low budget romance drama." Minako finished dreamily, turning a blind eye on the gloom aura that took over Mitsuru's bedroom.


	15. La Mort

**Author Note**

For Nightlyy XD

It... ended up being more plotty than intended. Actually, this is a failed attempt at writing a horror-flavoured chapter. I actually planned this to be more similar to 'The Old, Dark House', a 1932 black and white horror comedy film but apparently it's clear that I suck at writing horror. Oh well, thanks for reading^^

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

 **La Mort**

It was on a dark, stormy night that his phone rang, the ringtone indicated that the caller was an unknown number.

Quicksilver eyes opened blearily, hazy from sleep as his body shook from enervation. Long, thin fingers appeared like pale wraiths from the thick quilt and landed softly on a wooden desk by his bedside. Soon, his fingers found a rectangular shape and clasped it open, ending the incessant noise and he sleepily said,

" 'ello"

Someone sobbed from the other side of the call and clarity returned to him slowly, like maneuvering through an unending fog and finally resurfacing to the world of living.

"Who is this?" he said softly, not noticing the way old fear crept up his spine with a dreading anxiety.

"...It's me," the speaker's tone trembled slightly.

His heartbeat spiked up and he waited with an abated breath. The soft voice drifted through the line, ghosting over like a slow-acting poison that seeped through his pores.

"Return to us." Naoto's voice broke in the final syllable. "Please..."

"...What went wrong?" he gripped the edge of his blanket, leaning against the wall to provide him some semblance of support.

She chuckled, although her voice still trembled incessantly. "He's not long for this world, Minato-niisama." He felt sick as a mixture of satisfaction and disbelief settled on his stomach.

"We won't return, you know that," the dark-haired young man withdrew from the wall but he remained sitting up on the bed.

"...I know that. Everyone knows that," Minato kept his silence in the dimly-lit room. "You owe me a favor. Please, just this once... Please put the past to rest."

The desperation got him up on his feet and rushed him to Minako's room.

* * *

"Man, you're leaving? In this storm?" Junpei asked incrediously. He lent his only umbrella as the twin rushed out from the dorm while the rest of the dorm residents slept. They stood in front of the stone-cobbled patio as water and mud danced harshly within the eye of the storm.

The street was empty save for broken branches here and there while the light bulbs of the street lamps flickered eerily.

Minako shivered behind her brother and he worriedly shouted over the whistling noise. "Hey! At least wait until morning!"

She only tightened her red jacket, already soaking from the raging storm and smiled apologetically to Junpei while Minato's eyes searched over the darkening street.

"It's kinda emergency, buddy! I'm afraid we have to go now!" She yelled in time when two flashes of light appeared from the junction. Junpei squinted his eyes as the lights got closer.

A black body of something that fought against the storm wheeled over to the direction of their dorm and honked its horn as it came to a stop. Junpei's jaw went slack as the black body pulled up closer, made him realized that it was the body of a lean, slick sedan. The horsepower must be strong enough to be able to operate in the middle of a storm.

Then, someone opened the door from the driver's side and ran towards them. A middle-aged man in his late fourties wore a full-body rain coat so they couldn't see his face. The older man pulled down the top two buttons of the dark material and white breath puffed out from his nose.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Young Master, Young Lady."

He watched as Minato's figure went taut and stricken with tension while Minako's mouth was set into a thin line. And for once, it seemed like there was a lot more to Minako's carefree, mischievous smiles and Minato's callous, distant indifference than met the eyes. The twin was one of the people whose mysteries shrouded themselves, an enigma made flesh and blood.

While they were technically of the same group, the same members of a group with the same ability, they couldn't be more different in all aspect.

 _Who are you?_

The two entered the sedan while Junpei stood in the patio, the overhead cover shielding him from the violent rain.

* * *

Shirogane Reiji sensed his bed dipped, followed by a presence he hasn't felt for almost a decade. He tried to open his eyes, obscured by the lung ventilator as it were. His weakening body, wasted from years of illness and supported only by the equipment placed on him, was a far cry from the golden years since he commanded and became the front line of police investigation like the heads of Shirogane before him.

Eventually, he was able to open his eyes and upon landing his eyes on that boy, the electrocardiography beside him spiked up and beeped ceaselessly.

A voice whispered within the raging thunderstorm. "...What does it feel like to be dying, uncle?"

A young man appeared in front of him, bringing with him a sharp contrast from the grey, overhanging clouds that marched through the windows uncaring of the storm. The teen's sharp feature was warped by the silent darkness as the younger man stared out to the window.

The solemn, lean figure tucked his hands within the safety of his pockets. Dark, messy hair covered a side of his face as a strange, not-quite smile was placed on his mouth. Like someone has just forced to put it there.

Shirogane Minato.

But it shouldn't have been possible. That monster wouldn't return. He had banished them. He had placed the entire expectation of the Shirogane name on a young girl's shoulder and Minato had disappeared without another word, taking his younger twin with him and cutting off their ties.

 _It's Death!_

 _Stop him! Immobilize the user!_

 _Monster!_

 ** _Thanatos!_**

And yet he stood here, facing away from him even though this is the first time they met in almost a decade, staring calmly out to the thunderstorm and water that slapped the tall windows, as though nothing had ever happened.

"Mi..." Shirogane Reiji took another breath. "...Minato,"

The young man smiled as if the enmity that happened years back never happened. "Glad you didn't forget my name,"

He gasped for another breath, "What... are you doing here?"

"I owe Naoto a favor," a light, careless shrug. "I would always keep the part of my promise, uncle."

That was not what Reiji had meant. Minato wasn't supposed to be here in Shirogane Manor, or anywhere in this world at all. The thing inside him had to be eliminated at all cost.

Or at least, that was what he believed until he realized that-

"-We are all equal in Death, right?"

Minato's smile only became more playful. "Haha, all those morbid stuff, old man."

They laughed quietly, like a temporary illusion. Maybe the nurse put some hallucinogen on his IV drip. Yes, that wouldn't be surprising to think the least, since he had stripped the twin of their names and their rights. They wouldn't return to this manor only to witness an ill family member. It must've been his dying wish to see the twin once again that evoked this hallucination.

After a moment, their laughter stopped and he allowed all the regret to seep through the cracks of his hardened mask. "Your name... Minato means 'harbor', doesn't it?"

The boy he banished hummed quietly and their eyes followed the lightning that flashed for a second, blinded by the brightness.

"It suits you, someone who accepts and harbor everything." He watched the obscure sky and thought of how the years had formed a quiet, complacent nature on his nephew.

Minato let out a mirthless laugh. "Including a Shadow." The boy continued casually. Too casual, resigned, even, for his next words.

"That's why you kicked us out. Does Naoto knows about this?"

He shook his head. "No. And about everything I've done wrong to both you and Minako... I'm sorry."

The playful expression dropped from his face and shifted into a sad face of a child, barely a teen. The boy tried to hide that by pasting a quick smile, but it was useless in front of a Shirogane. He knew it, and Minato knew it too.

"I can't forgive you, but I understand. You had to do that. You're the spearhead of this name." Minato kept his tone light and airy. "You can't keep someone with a Shadow sealed in him. I and Minako were Shirogane for once, too. Let's just say that by cutting off our ties, I've done the correct thing as the supposed next head of this family."

The electrocardiography beeped loudly. "You're wrong, Minato!" Shirogane Reiji said as he clenched a palm against his chest. "It was for your sake, too! "

Both Shirogane turned to face one another and the older man caught the silver shade that gleamed in Minato's eyes. Turning and twisting them into liquid golden. It reminded him of the moon shrouded behind the thick span of an eight-winged Death God, raging against everything.

"Wanting to eliminate me at all cost for my sake? I don't recall that heart failure makes people go senile, old man."

A red alarm beeped from the medical machine but he turned it off, wheezing loudly within the room that suddenly felt smaller, more constricted than how it was.

"It **was** for your sake!" He insisted. "We've been a close relative to the Kuzunoha for centuries. We've protected and served the country against those blasted Shadows for almost 1.200 years! We can't let one of our own to be possessed by the very thing we fought against."

"By eliminating me, you mean."

" **Only** if Thanatos go berserk again!" he fought to breath. "I can protect you if you can control it unless that happens! We're family! We're connected by the blood that flows in our veins. We're not supposed to be like this. This is wrong, this is fucked up..."

And finally, he confessed. "I wanted to return to you the years I've taken away from you and Minako..."

"Uncle Reiji..."

And then.

Bloody scarlet filled the nuance of the room, colouring and changing everything from pale blue into something more toxic, more wicked as it gave way to the hour hidden from the rest of humanity. The boy walked slowly towards the only bed, gazing at him with what he imagined as a half-moon smile. He felt the presence first before he saw it, the flickering image of a prisoner enveloped in the black and white of death. The omniscient existence opened its eyes, cold blue eyes diluted in clear amusement.

And he could only watch as the human mask transformed into one of darkness and death and suffering lies underneath.

...Into the facade of a benign, solemn Death God.

Its maw opened in a silent wail and the prisoner mouthed. _"I art thou..."_

 _"And thou art I."_ Minato finished, his bright golden eyes entrapped him.

"...We're miserable whether we're a Shirogane or not, uncle."

* * *

 _Here lies Shirogane Reiji, 1964-2009._

After the funeral ceremony of someone he didn't even know, Junpei shrugged off the black necktie he borrowed from Akihiko-senpai and looked over the rest of SEES. They had been dragged to the cemetery by none other than a glum Mitsuru-senpai just a while after Field Leader and Co-Leader returned, wet from head to toe like drowning dogs.

Junpei was about to make a well-timed joke but he didn't because the atmosphere was so heavy and he left the twin and Mitsuru-senpai to talk alone. And... that was how it brought them here.

Someone approached him, the one that Minato said as his cousin, twice removed. The younger teen wore a smart black suit like the rest of them, but something felt off... Like when his girl-radar beeped.

"Thank you for coming to my uncle's funeral." He said with a sophisticated, stilted manner.

"Uhh... I do't really know why we're here but well," Junpei shrugged. "It's not like the rest of us knows who the hell that old man is."

The young man's expression turned into one of confusion but then it cleared. "Ah... I see, Minato hadn't tell you anything yet."

"Huh, what?"

He tilted his cap, smiling sadly. "No, nothing at all. Please excuse me. A case is waiting for me."

"What the heck was that?" Junpei grumbled, in time when he felt an arm slung over his neck.

"Yo, buddy," Minato greeted.

"Good God! Stop scaring me! You're like a ghost, y'know."

An eyebrow rose. "Am I?"

He nodded sagely. "Yep, you're especially creepy when you're quiet."

Minato chuckled and let his arm dropped to his side, pocketing them away. Junpei observed as he looked at the tombstone with an empty gaze, then Minato inhaled, exhaled and slowly, hesitantly, began speaking.

"My name is Shirogane Minato." He reintroduced himself, even though he knew it was insignificant because a name meant nothing. "I'm the only son of Shirogane Reiji's brother," he continued, eyes glanced to the figure of a waving Minako, surrounded by her teammates and he waved in return. "We had nothing before we came here. This is my home."

He watched as Junpei's eyes widened from the corner of his eyes and Minato knew that his best friend realized the meaning. He entrusted his secret out of his own free will.

Shirogane Minato smiled.


	16. Tempérance

**Chapter 16**

 **Tempérance**

 _"_ _Eight hours?! What in the friggin' fuck, Andre Laurent Jean Geraux?!"_

Bebe cringed at the full name treatment. Actually, if he wasn't so desperate he would've feel rather awed that Minato remembered his real name, apart from hearing the usually unflappable young man freaked out on the other end. Then, he heard the sound of a cupboard being opened and rustling that could only be the noise of clothes.

 _"_ _You've got weeks! Weeks to pack up your things and fly to France! I got up at the asscrack of-"_ A pause. _"-Four AM on a rainy Sunday morning to hear that your flight is today and you hadn't even pack up?!"_

There was a white noise for a moment before the connection was cut out completely.

He pushed the red end call button with a trembling finger and set out to pack his clothes silently.

The first time he stepped on the Land of the Rising Sun, brimming with positive feelings towards the country he has always adored and its people, fate written it that he mixed up the kanji of two shrines on two entirely different districts on the train station.

Finding the opportunity to talk with the locals, he rehearsed his lines to ask some lovely Japanese people the way to the correct shrine. He paced around and muttered the question under his breath, casting his eyes around for anyone to ask when a movement caught his eyes.

He saw a young Japanese couple had sidestepped him, quickly averting their eyes from his line of view and walked away briskly. A mother positioned herself between him and her child. What he couldn't forget was the expression on the young mother's face.

It was distrust. And suspicion.

Never in his whole life have he felt so much like someone who didn't belong there.

So he grit his teeth and face reality.

But thirty minutes later, when his first Japanese friend showed up on his doorstep drenched from head to toe, he just know that no one will be able to replace this scowling, tired-looking friend of his even if Minato left.

* * *

"I swear to God I _will_ shave off your hair, Bebe. Fuck this, I'm so done with this shit." Minato grumbled, cramming Bebe's clothes haphazardly into a small suitcase and pushed the last article of clothing, struggling with the zipper of the suitcase for a while before throwing his hands up and moved on to the dangerously tall heap of Bebe's Japanese books.

He borrowed Bebe's black long-sleeved shirt he usually wore on weekends and threw his drenched clothes to the hamper. It was chaotic, and the sound of the Japanophile's hurried footsteps that ran around the six tatami-sized apartment didn't help with his incoming headache.

" _Dieu pardonne!_ Don't curse in my 'ome!" Bebe replied as he piled another boxes in the cramped hallway and rushed out to his room.

"Your plane is in eight hours! Do you have any idea how many hours does it take to reach Narita Airport from here?"

"I know, Minato-sam-AAAARGH!"

 _Thump!_

Minato waited exactly three seconds to stop himself from tearing off his own hair and took a much needed calming breath. No, he can't kill his friend, especially someone from a foreign country. Also, France-Japan bilateral relationship is exceptionally good, he can't ruin it by strangling Bebe to oblivion. He'll be charged with international law and third degree murder that not even the Shirogane name could bail him out from the jail.

Take a deep breath... Okay, he can do this.

With a long suffering sigh, he slipped a particularly stubborn book into the box and let his hand idle against its paperback spine.

Quite a number of students had been weirded out by him hanging around the Japan-loving foreigner. While he blamed his countrymen's avoidance of anything and anyone non-Japan on nearly two centuries of national seclusion, he can't really remember why he bothered to watch over this clumsy, as-broke-as-church-mouse gaijin.

"...'elp me..." came the pitiful plea.

Minato hauled himself up from the creaking floor. He grimaced when rain water seeped past the moldy wall , forming a wide, nasty stain that bled through the paint that must've been soft pastel blue ages ago. Good thing Bebe was about to leave Japan, though. Minato couldn't imagine his friend living in this hellhole any longer.

"Ah, right. Let's save Bebe first," Minato muttered to no one and peeked to the smaller compartment next to Bebe's room that he called a storeroom. A tuft of golden hair was trapped beneath some dusty, worn boxes.

"You alright there?" Minato said as he crouched down and tugged the sun-stained blond hair half heartedly.

A pained whimper resounded through the tiny room.

Minato drawled. "Why do you procrastinate till the very last second? Aren't you the one who wants to show your uncle the power of Japan, you otaku."

The Frenchman wore a confused expression when he heard the new word. "You'd procrazenate too if you see my uncle, Minato-sama. He eez like ze mafia," Bebe whined, still sprawled out on the floor like a starfish.

All Bebe got for his misery was an exasperated roll of silver eyes. "Get up. If you want some motivation, Minako will be here any second and we have to finish packing your things by then,"

Bebe quickly tried to get up, forgetting his pain with the exciting notion that he'd have both twins on his modest apartment. Oh, where was his sweets stash when he need it? It was rude to not serve anything to his friends! "Ehh? Minako-sama too? What's going on?"

Minato seemed like he wasn't really surprised by Bebe's question. Instead, he laughed and kept his grey eyes half-opened languidly. He tilted his head to the side and quirked up his eyebrow, eyes filled with mischief.

" _Qui sait_?"

* * *

"I 'ave never zought zat you two are rich!" Bebe said, touching the soft leather and feeling the quality through his fingers.

Admiring the lavishly posh but not overdone interior of the sedan, Bebe glanced at the twins who sat directly across him. Imagine his surprise when Minako arrived just right after they finished sweeping the tiny apartment clean of his personal effects, only to came with a car that he wasn't even sure that years of his uncle's salary could afford.

"Silly, we're not loaded, Bebe." Minako chirped, blushing slightly as she waved her hands around. He found himself disagreed with the notion.

"We're not," Minato said offhandedly, "Our parents were." Then, his mouth twitched up a bit, "Now that I think about it, this is the first time we uses their car, otherwise I wouldn't bother with the inheritance."

Although Bebe knew a bit about their history, what Minato said confused him. " 'uh, why is zat?" At Bebe's question, Minako spoke up in stead of her lazier counterpart.

"It's only recently that we could access our properties. The transfer of property occurred after the death of the predecessor, so we've been in a tight spot before now," she said the last part with a wondering expression of her own.

"Ahh, naruhodou! It eez so different from France, because a set proportion s'ould go to ze protected 'eirs." Bebe fanned himself, happy to find another point to add to his Japanese knowledge.

Minato slumped tiredly, closing his eyes. "...I'm tired, I think I won't wake up anymore," to which Minako countered with pinching his cheek softly, "Stop complaining, at least we'd make it to the airport now, right Bebe?"

All of this... Only to help him?

Bebe tucked his head down and couldn't lift it up again- a mix of slowly descending sadness and warmth enveloped him.

* * *

How many people, he wondered.

How many people are lucky enough to be truly linked to another human being?

He remembered, that his _grand-mére_ once said that however brief an encounter might be, every single thing in the world is meant to be.

Fated. Destined.

A human's life is connected to each other. The thread simply won't disappear simply because they were separated by time and place. It'll affect the people tied around it no matter how insignificant it may seem. If not, why else would he struggled not to look back at the figures behind him?

It felt so surreal, that everything happened so fast, so sudden. But he remembered the way that his eyes went blurry and the way that water stuck uncomfortably against his cheeks, making him felt like he was watching from behind stained glass.

He finally conceded, letting himself be pulled along by his wish to have a last look, to have a vivid image to remember them by. He looked over his shoulder at the smiling twins as long as he could, memorizing Minako's cheerful wave and Minato's hunched, relaxed stance, the beautiful contrast of silvery blue against reddish russet.

For just one last glance.

One last...

Startled that more tears overflown freely from his eyes, he blinked it away and tilted his head. It wasn't like this with his aunt, with his own blood family back home that enabled him to visit this country that has became so dear to him. When he returned his gaze towards the two, he found them right in front of his eyes. The next second he got an armful of Minako, sniffing and sobbing like him and a cold but steady hand on his shoulder. He didn't think that he had ever been as close to another human beings as he was in this moment.

He whispered. " _Vous deux sont mes amis les plus chers_."

Not knowing what to do, he could only held on to his wish. That when a person wishes so strongly, that wish would have enough power to manifests itself. He could only wish that someday, somewhere, they could meet again in the the future, under happier circumstance.

So, he let the true meaning of his next words to show on his face.

He let them go and show them his biggest, most heartfelt smile.

"... Mata ne,"

 **Author Note:**

*wipes eyes and wears serious face* Let me get one practical stuff out of the way first. In this chapter, I followed the traditional inheritance system of Japan. The transfer of property doesn't occur at the point of the heir's marriage, but instead it's transferred after the death of the predecessor. The inheritance is impartible, so only the heir gets the rest of the properties.

The expression 'as broke as a church mouse' refers to the fact that European church buildings in the 17th century and earlier did not store or provide food.

Mata ne: See you again.

 _Dieu pardonne!_ : God Forbid!

 _Qui sait?_ : Who knows?

 _Grand-mére:_ Grandmother. _  
_

 _Vous deux sont mes amis les plus chers_ : You two are my dearest friends. Do note that I used 'mes amis' instead of the commonly heard 'mon ami'. In French language structure, 'mes' is used in plural masculine sentence, the same as how 'amis' is plural masculine sentence while 'mon' can be used towards both gender.

Also, The French have two types of friends, "Les Copains" and "Les Amis." "Les Copains" are the people you see once in a while to have coffee, go to a movie or to do activities with, but the relationship tends to be more superficial and more for the companionship. "Les Amis" are the people who are there for you in an emergency and are people who doesn't think twice about helping you when you need it. It's for life.

Thanks for reading, although I know this fic isn't the best around^^


	17. Le Diablo

**Author Note:**

Takes place in November 2009, in Career Experience Program. In case you don't remember, it's just right after Junpei's resolution.

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

 **Le Diablo**

Rolling back his shoulder, Minato stood off to the side as he talked quietly into an earset perched on his left ear.

This way, he took calls connected to the bluetooth connected to Tanaka's office phone for the last three days and managed his appointments. He went over the last minute preparation with the TV Station that aired Tanaka's program and waited patiently for the titular man himself to stroll in to the well-lit, five-storey office building. By now, he was already used to the tight, busy schedule the President has and adapted himself.

Mindful of the people who glanced at him curiously from their 8'x8' cubicles, he bowed his head politely and turned over. Anyone with half a mind would probably be curious of a mere high schooler playing Assistant in their office. It was just four days, though.

When he saw Tanaka arrived on time to his pristine office, he gave a nod and matched his pace with the President's confident stride. The middle-aged man's other employees rushed to the sideline and parted the way, with a careful consideration not to annoy the fickle businessman.

Once the quatro-styled glass door was slammed shut, Tanaka sat down on his extravagant black leather chair with 180 sea view of Iwatodai's Moonlight Bridge as his background while he fixed Minato an expectant smile.

Minato began reciting from the top of his head, "I've booked you an appointment with your home shopping TV program director tomorrow at 09:35 AM and the President of a fast-food product manufacturer, Okumura Kunikazu-san would like to meet you after lunch today. Also, the plane tickets you were asking about were sold out so I took deliberation and rescheduled your time frame-"

"We're not behind the schedule, are we?" Tanaka interrupted.

Minato heard a standard notification sound from his bluetooth and skimmed through the words that littered the small tablet he has been given as a part of his job, "No, I just shuffled your branch office inspection to fit the delays. Are you okay with going to Tokyo first? If so, I'll match your luncheon with Okumura-san's schedule."

There was a small doubt that littered across Tanaka's face. "You're saying that you've secured the plane tickets to Tokyo?" he asked in disbelief and Minato shrugged, not knowing what to expect.

"Yeah. And by the time your branch office inspection in Tokyo is over, it coincides with Okumura-san's busy schedule for lunch so all is well."

To his surprise, there was no frown or quick scolding on his deliberate actions. Instead, Tanaka's eyes shone with pride and approval. The man intertwined his fingers and regarded Minato with a smirk befitting the devil himself.

And if Minato rolled his eyes in mock exasperation, he reasoned that it was simply because he knew Tanaka valued hard work and foresight more than anything else.

* * *

"Who is he?" the bespectacled man gestured to the teen who cupped a hand to his ear and talked calmly into his bluetooth earset. The teen was far enough to not listening in to their conversation but close enough should his long-time business partner needed something.

"Oh, Minato. That's my temp PA, he's on Career Experience Program. Now then, it's a long story,"

A temp worker being a PA? Let alone an ignorant high schooler. That was surprising, considering that no one could even last a day within his demanding friend's presence. Okumura Kunikazu shifted a skeptical glance towards the seemingly ordinary young man and sipped on his wine, enjoying its distinctive tanginess.

"Do I need another bottle for this?"

"Maybe," Tanaka chewed on his rare T-bone steak, pointing to the teen with his fork. "We met in Paulownia. Swindled him off his Yen but he always came back the next day. Oblivious brat," but although Tanaka's words were harsh, there was no hint of malice seeping through them.

"I'm surprised you're not serving a jail time by now."

His business partner actually chuckled. "I compensated fair and square, if that's what you're talking about."

"How so?"

Tanaka dabbed his mouth, finishing his lunch with a swirl of champagne and said his next words with the sureness of an experienced sailor in a rough sea of entrepreneurship.

"I'm planning to groom him as my future CEO,"

Kunikazu was perplexed. It was... incredulous. Something only the cunning old fox that sat across him could even think of. But something didn't add up.

"Would he even worth the time and energy?" Hearing the question, Tanaka sobered up and replied, still eloquent despite the alcohol in his system and shot him a calculating look. "Good saplings are rare nowadays, don't you think? It's my principle to not let any opportunity goes when I see it."

Tanaka gave him a smug smirk. "Let me tell you, Minato is smart. He's the top student in his year. You remember the Kirijo heiress?"

"Kirijo Mitsuru, if I'm not wrong." Kunikazu nodded and the man continued his bragging. "His scores tied with hers. The rest of the teaching staff are already contemplating to move him up to the senior class. I wish they'd just outdo themselves and get him past those pesky school years. He'd do more good out there than learning advanced kanji." Tanaka snorted into his glass and they laughed.

"What's more is that he's surrounded by... let's say, interesting allies. He's friends with the son of Tatsumi Memorial Hospital's director and the Kirijos gave him their permission to escort their only daughter on her 18th birthday party." Kunikazu stared in disbelief at his older friend as he contemplated what he had just described. It certainly was a fascinating notion.

"Just imagine what he'll be like in a few years." There was a promise in Tanaka's voice. "A smart young CEO of a possible union between Tanaka Group and Kirijo Group, power on two of Japan's most successful companies, useful allies within an arm's reach. What _he_ won't be able to do?"

He took another look at the much younger man standing not far from their table. The quiet, slouching figure was nondescript, but what he had learned over the years of their partnership was to trust their insight. And as if sensing their attention, the young man stood up, straight-backed and squared his shoulder before he walked in a calm pace towards their table.

This 'Minato' nodded at him curtly before notifying Tanaka's next appointment in a quiet, but clear voice. Aware of the limited time, Tanaka stood up from his table. A female waitress noticed their motions and walked to their table with a receipt in hand. Kunikazu watched as Minato opened a messenger bag he recognized as Tanaka's and pulled out a credit card from the wallet.

He turned to Tanaka, surprised that the businessman even entrusted his wallet to the teen. Minato looked busy as he managed to multitask a business call on his bluetooth and writing quick notes to his tablet. Only after he finished that he returned his attention to the two business partners.

Acknowledging both Kunikazu's position and the years he has above the teen, Minato executed a neat, perfunctory bow to him before the young man addressed him with a polite smile. Minato's features were... odd. With his uneven hair length that hid a part of his face, the teen would've looked like just another face. But it was the eyes that made him trusted Tanaka's insight. Silver eyes that were both aloof and clinically observant bore into him. Very intelligent eyes.

"It's an honor to meet you, sir. My name is Shirogane Minato and I'll be Tanaka-san's PA for the duration of my Career Experience Program."

With the short introduction done, he led them towards the restaurant's lobby, approaching the valet and standing patiently while both businessmen sat in the plush VIP waiting room.

Kunikazu finally asked. "A Shirogane, really?"

The smirk on Tanaka's mouth was too wide to be polite -or safe. "I told you, good saplings are rare nowadays. So, with the Shirogane money at his back, once he delves into politics, Japan will be his for the taking."

* * *

A mock scowl was set on his young face, even though his tone was nothing other than fond irritation.

"You gave me an S-rank evaluation?"

Tanaka nodded seriously, although Minato suspected that the devil hid a smirk behind his report, since only his eyes were visible across the oaken desk. "Why not? It's perfectly reasonable."

Minato sighed, frustration edging through his nerves. Of course Tanaka wouldn't get it. "With all due respect, Tanaka-san. An S-rank evaluation isn't-"

A little more than wanting Minato to shut his trap and just accept the Employee Evaluation Report -which, in his own biased opinion- that Minato deserved nothing less than an S-rank evaluation, Tanaka interrupted. "Oh, I remember now, Career Experience Program will be followed-up with a Career Counseling, right?"

It was a comical sight to watch Minato's placid facade crumbled with confusion but it was satisfying to see that his future CEO regained his composure quickly. Minato took another deep breath, "Yeah, it's on January."

He placed his hands on his lap, "Good, what do you have in mind for the future? What field interests you?" at the question clear on Minato's expression, Tanaka reinstated himself. "Just think of this as a mock career counseling, brat."

Then, he added condescendingly, "I've kicked out many incompetent job applicants who thought that they're better than anyone else just because their college degree is Todai." Tanaka scoffed and Minato was once again reminded that this man was someone who made it to the pinnacle of financial prowess with raw drive and hard work without anything to back him up, though his method was nothing if not questionable.

"So, Minato, what do you have in mind for the future?"

Taken aback, Minato blinked and he took his time to think about it. He knew Tanaka, and the man wasn't someone who would be impressed easily. Well, he could always fall back on honesty.

"Truthfully-" He shrugged. "-I don't know. I don't have anything particular in mind for the future," He thought that it was a decent answer, with SEES and his increased responsibility to keep everyone alive, his scope of forethinking was limited to the next full moon.

And contrary to what Minato expected, Tanaka seemed to contemplate it deeper. "Let's reason it out, do you have any particular field you wanted to major in?"

His mind drew a blank space. "Uh- What? I mean-"

This time, it was Tanaka's turn to sigh. "Minato, you're thinking too much. For a second I thought I could hear your overused brain scrambling for answer." He crossed his arms, "Hmm... I have no doubt that you could pass high school with flying colours-"

Then, Tanaka continued in his annoying matter-of-fact manner. "Well, any other way, I've decided that you're still going to be my future CEO even if you have a non business-related major in mind. So just pick a university close to my headquarter. As for majors... Let's see... Business Management would probably be the most useful, since your job will be to monitor the company's growth." Tanaka nodded to himself self-satisfactorily.

Minato's mind reeled, floundering into overanalyzing state at Tanaka's ridiculous train of thought. Close to the headquarter? Business Management? Monitoring company's growth?

Stop. Rewind.

Future CEO? Him?

And as if sensing his growing bewilderment, Tanaka gave a dismissive gesture. "Actually, it doesn't have to be Business Management. You're a chameleon, so any majors won't affect you, right?"

And at the look of indignation that crossed Minato's face, Tanaka gave the boy another smirk. But the Fates decided to put a stop to their banter, once his office phone decided to beep the next second. A young female voice -specially trained as the front desk receptionist, mind you- announced that the program director of the TV station has arrived and has walked ahead to the meeting room.

Now that banter time was over, Tanaka watched with developing fascination as invisible walls descended with frightening ease over Minato's countenance. Only practiced liars could see them, but the mask was there. Gone were the confused, indignant brat unsure of his own future. Replaced with a professional PA –and his future CEO, Tanaka thought with growing approval- as they took the elevator to the top floor. Being able to differentiate situations and carried himself accordingly was a rare skill unseen by many.

It spoke well for the future, Tanaka was sure. He couldn't wait to see what a couple of years would bring.

* * *

 **Author Notes:**

I managed to squeeze in a chapter between my inspection schedule *slumping tiredly* This chapter is the result of contemplating the notion 'What if Tanaka decided to go on with his plan to make Minato his successor?'

Spoiler alert! Kunikazu Okumura is not an OC. He's one of the heist target of Phantom Thieves of Hearts and the father of Haru Okumura. Some of his background history is similar to Tanaka and I think that it's a feasible idea that they're business partners, as long as my fanon could conjure. I began entertaining this plot since I'm frequenting Megami Tensei Wikia and reading up on articles of P5.

Thanks for reading^^


	18. La Château

**Chapter 18**

 **La** **Château**

Minato had a saving-people tendency, and sometimes he had to save Mutatsu from Mutatsu. Even though the man in question was thoroughly, utterly vexing to be with.

Another shot. Mutatsu let out an uncharacteristic giggle. "Your hair is stupid, kiddo. 'sides, how the *hic* heck you can recite heart sussra with that hair?"

Okay, that was low. A very low blow. He happened to like his hair, thank you very much. It gave him a dashing, mysterious aura.

Stifling a groan of annoyance, Minato propped his head on his palm as he contemplated which goddess he pissed off to avenge him with this nonsense at 2 AM in Sunday morning. Oh, look. Lucky him. At least it wasn't a school day.

Another two shots. Mutatsu stood from his sofa and spread out his flabby arms with drunken dignity. " _Gyatei gyatei haragyatei harasōgyatei boji sowakaaaa_ *hic*"

He quickly clapped a hand over his mouth, trying and failing to keep his composure as his shoulder shook with mirth. And surprisingly, Mutatsu turned to him when he heard the first strangled laughter, toppling in the process.

"Shh!" the old monk hissed, looking at him with eerily precise direction. "Brats 'owadays... Can't youu-" the last syllable slurred.

"-appreciate it? App-re-ciate. My usual sussra reading fee iss 100.000 Yen."

Minato leaned back, popping mixed nuts from the lone expensive glass bowl to his mouth. He grinned, "You're drunk," came the muffled reply.

"Actuallyss, serpants of God doezzn't get drunk, Mina-kun. We juzt-" Mutatsu raised both his index fingers and middle fingers to the air, making a 'quote' gesture. "Feel like floatin' on the cloud ni'e."

And like the weeping drunk he was, tears started pooling around Mutatsu's baggy eyes. He tried wiping them with his damp sleeves, but failed and wiped his flushed cheeks instead.

" 'm sooo happy, sonny. 'm gonna be a grandpa next March, y'said." Mutatsu wept with a happy expression on his face.

"Sooo," he giggled. " 'm nah gonna leev ya or yer mom again, 'll stay!" he whooped. "Fah good!"

"Yeah, yeah. Congratulation," Minato drawled, but somehow an indulgent smile was etched on his face. Mutatsu's drunken elation reached him through their link and he let his pseudo-grandfather bragged all he wanted.

"Ah, ah." Mutatsu wagged his index finger in the air. "I gotta introduss in-tro-du-ce this boy t' ya. Good lad, he is. Mina-kun coulda be yer lil'brother and mah grandchild'z godfather."

Minato coughed, thankful that the small bowl didn't crash into the floor. "M-me?"

"Of cousse!" Mutatsu looked indignant. "Buddha 'ent him to *hic* help mee," he nodded sagely, joining his hands and bowed to the empty air.

The teen sighed with repressive dignity, "God help me..."

Mutatsu grabbed Minato's shoulder firmly, a delighted grin coloured his thrashed face as he slapped Minato's shoulder thrice in quick succession. The aged monk looked straight at Minato's eyes in somber serenity.

"If I 'adn't met him, 'd nevah 'ave seen ya or yer mom eva' ageinn."

Something clogged in Minato's throat and not recognizing the rawness for what it was, Minato replied with a groan. "God, let's just go home. You're embarrassing,"

"Nuh-uh,"

Oh God, hearing something so immature from a man old enough to be his grandfather irked him. "Don't be a jerk,"

Mutatsu cooed cheerfully. "Aww, what will I do weez my life now? 'sides, you're cute whenn you'rre anry, sonny." He hiccuped before sloshing the content of his beverage to his throat, not noticing Minato who looked like as if he was two seconds before depositing his head to the desk.

Minato pursed his lips before giving in to the temptation to groan into his hands. Now it was far less amusing than it was undignifying.

Kill him, kill him now.

That prompted a sigh from Minato. "You're so far gone." He crossed his arms, looking miffed.

"Good thing someone called Minako to hang out before we came here. If she saw your drunken ass, you'll be so, so done." He said with a final tone, which implied that such tragedy has happened before.

The old monk turned around, looking worried for the first time since he stupidly decided to forsake his brain. "...Buddha. Wh- Yer'- Minako, shit, don't call her, please."

"Mutatsu-san-"

" 'he will kill me. No, 'he will casstate, cass-tra-te me an' offer my bits to 'he s'rine."

Minato grabbed Mutatsu's free hand and moved it up over his shoulder, steadying the intoxicated monk with one arm. Mutatsu looked up at him in mortified horror as he raised his flailing hand to the younger man before he scrambled clumsily to keep some semblance of footing, overbalancing Minato in the process. He grunted as he received the burnt of iron staircase railing to prevent them from crashing into the linoleum floor below.

Mutatsu, for his part, looked a little too green for Minato's liking. "Don't! I'll call Minako if you dare to throw up on me," he said scathingly.

And it seemed to work since Mutatsu nodded fervently with the last bit of sobriety he had. With a huff, Minato propped the old man and they waded through the perfectly clear and wide staircase. They stumbled step by step while Mutatsu seemed like he didn't even know which was which, finally reaching the first floor without any trouble.

Now, they only have to walk in peace to the train station, dump the monk to his home and sleep through the remaining ni-

Oh, wait. He didn't know where the hell Mutatsu's home was.

Minato scrubbed his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was running low on patience and exhausted and was in no way appreciative of having to deal with this shit while a senior citizen passed out on him, though he had a somewhat parent-son relationship with this unconvincing monk.

Of course, he didn't expect this when he signed off his life to a creepy wanker (that would be Igor) to begin with.

In the year since he had, however, even though his... guest card? Employment contract? involved too many near-deaths on too many occasions, he found that the extra headaches and panic attacks were enough to last him a lifetime. It was just his luck.

Minato let out a pitiful whimper. Somehow, he wanted to cry. Preferably in his room and surrounded by Jack Frost dolls.

Then, pushing aside his temporary self-pity with a huff that sent his bangs afloat for a few seconds, Minato tried walking out from Club Escapade and somehow managed to reach their dormitory.

* * *

"It's just for a few hours," Minato bargained softly. "He can sleep in my room."

Mitsuru frowned at their Field Leader. It wasn't the first time their secrecy was compromised by Minato. Either by people who came to their dormitory or by the young man himself. She remembered what had happened when people visited him while he was out like a light or when Minato insisted to help people with no direct link to their group.

Asking her to let someone stay in their dorm was pushing the boundary, she trusted that Minato knew that. But he was giving her _that_ firm and unyielding look. The same one Minato gave them when he rounded the city for a mere elementary school grader.

"And where will you sleep? We can't have our Field Leader taken out by surprise if Shadows decided to infiltrate the dorm again just because of a fatigue,"

"I can sleep in the common room."

He cared.

That was the case, wasn't it?

But no. It wouldn't do to deny Minato right now. Not when he was like this. Besides, she has been on the beneficial party of this gentle soul a few months ago. The least she could do was to extend, to repay this selfless intention.

Mitsuru chuckled, quietly realizing that she was also one of the many people that changed, that grew around him.

Smiling to herself as she closed her eyes, Mitsuru said. "Alright, he can stay in the guest room."

"Guest room? I don't recall that there is one here..."

Mitsuru raised a fine eyebrow, "Or you'd prefer to sleep in the common room?"

Minato paled. "No, thank you."

* * *

 **Author Notes:**

It makes me giddy to watch the viewer traffic rose and motivates me to tweak around the plots. Thanks for reading and don't forget to feed the author^^


	19. L'Étoile

**Author Note:**

Fun, fun shit. Don't let Mitsuru's parting words last chapter fooled you. We'll see what happened behind the scene. Also, knowledge of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is at least necessary in this chapter. Enjoy!^^

 **Chapter 19**

 **L'Étoile**

Minato leaned back on the headrest of the sofa, regarded the generous serving of black tea on the table and sighed.

"Dude, you don't know many guys in our class who would die for a sip of Minako's brewed tea. Stop sighing!" Junpei said in a fake envious tone without looking up from the baseball bat that he polished furiously, his eyes crossed in intense concentration and Minato gave him another huff in return.

Junpei gave him an irritated glare and chided, "Y'know, between us, this could turn into a drinking game for every time you sighed. Stop. Sighing. At least for my sanity, okay?" He made a move to snatch the tea from the coffee table discreetly but a hand slapped his wrist so suddenly.

"Oww, fucker. What was that for?!"

Minato snickered and drank the tea noisily. Inwardly, he approved the amber-coloured liquid that was the result of Minako's long apprenticeship in Chagall Cafe. It was a clear, satisfyingly perfect concoction. Hot as hell, bold as the devil, bitter as liquid metal.

"Vicious git." Junpei muttered, nursing his injured hand but returning his attention to the Field Leader. It was weird seeing one of the twin without his or her other half. "Where's she, anyway?"

Minato cradled the mug of thick dregs on his laps while his grin dropped and muttered darkly. "She's out for a monk's blood."

"Seriously?!"

Minato nodded solemnly. "She'd castrate him."

"...Holy hell..."

There was a sound of spluttering and Junpei looked down only to see that Minato coughed on his tea while he _very_ suspiciously hid his mouth behind his palm.

Junpei sent him a flat look. "You lied."

"No shit, Sherlock." Minato said, deadpan with no inflection in his voice that left Junpei sulking petulantly with irritable mutter. Minato explained calmly, "She's taking the monk back to his family home, though I won't put it past her to make a senior citizen cry."

With Junpei's confused nod, they returned to silence. It was noon and the dorm was mostly empty due to today being a Sunday. This Sunday was a bit weird, though. They had a hungover monk that appeared out of nowhere in the common room that morning, until Mitsuru-senpai explained the situation and they went on minding their own business after that.

He went out in the morning and saw Fuuka and Ken walking up the stairs to the temple. Across the street, Akihiko shouted at them and waved with a sweaty arm as the senior ran around the city with an energetic Koromaru.

After he had finished restocking his instant ramen cups, he watched something boring in the cinema before going home. Junpei had ran into Yukari and Aigis, then. Yukari was in some kind of engaging discussion with that flower shop owner and he ended up with a pack... of... dung, err, fertilizer under his arms. And that was only because Yukari had demanded her right as a woman to not carry anything heavier than her schoolbag. Junpei snorted.

As if. The rest of SEES bore witnesses that she could lift that one crossbow Minato bought for her easily. He had heard from a friend who was in the Archery Club that one of those weights about 15 kilograms each. Junpei shuddered.

Aigis had offered to carry the dung, sweet android, but like hell he was going to let his male pride get trampled on if a girl –even if she was a robot- carried it for him.

After he showered to purge that stinking smell of fertilizer, Junpei had joined Minato in the common room for his dorm guard duty while they waited for the rest of their teammates to return home. The dorm didn't have any security personnel, as it should be considering high-end equipments and people who stayed inside. Mitsuru-senpai argued that it'd be out of place in an otherwise normal neighborhood.

Since Shinjiro-senpai's death, they knew full well of the risk of not knowing each other's whereabouts and that policy changed. Even him, as ignorant as he was, wouldn't want to have that kind of guilt lodged onto his conscience. They settled into a guard duty routine after that. However, normally, Minato was out from the roster of guard duty. Hell, even he knew that Minato was already overworked without adding another guard duty. Minato was their fastest fighter, so he was the one who dealt the first blow. Thus, he was used to diminish the approaching Shadow's number first before they fought the rest. Add that with directing strategies and monitoring their conditions and they got one hell of a Field Leader.

SEES couldn't afford to lose him, or his skills. They depended on Minato too much.

Junpei had admitted his shortcomings and envy, though it was a long process. He can admit without a bitter thought that he wasn't as strong as Minato, or as reliable in crisis. Heck, he'd freak out, honestly. What Junpei lacked in knowledge and technique, he made up for in pure power.

Damn! He sounded so profound and wise beyond his years just now. Chidori would roll her eyes on her grave. Eh, but he should write it on somewhere. It could be used as his personal quote when he play for Japan's National Baseball Team and get an interview with a pretty lady on tv in the future.

"Should I be worried that you're chuckling alone?" Minato's voice told him. This time, it was his turn to huff.

"Never mind that, when'll we go to Tartarus again? I'm itching for a fight!"

Minato shrugged, wincing when a joint popped loudly. Then, he drank his tea and stare at the wall again. Their weekly Tartarus schedule would be as moody as Minato himself if something bugged the teen. And it was unforgivable, at least for him and Akihiko-senpai.

So, being the good friend he was, Junpei decided to extend the olive branch first and let Minato talk it out. He dropped the baseball bat and intertwined his fingers as he inclined forward, somehow looked like a self-entitled secret keeper while doing so. "Okay, spill the beans."

Minato, for his part, only crossed his arms defiantly. "It's nothing."

"Uh huh,"

"It's nothing related to SEES or our dorm."

"Reaaallyyy?"

Minato fidgeted on his seat. _Interesting._ "It's also unrelated to our upperclassmen."

"Point taken."

Junpei watched with a Cheshire's smile as Minato realized that he had rambled and possibly divulged more clues than what he wanted to keep. The grin of Junpei's stupid face grew as Minato kept a carefully blank expression, "So, it's either having to do with Mitsuru-senpai or Akihiko-senpai, huh. Though..."

Face considerably red, Minato hissed out. "...Stupei,"

There was a teasing smirk involved now, "I'd bet my entire porn collection that it's about a particular red-"

Neatly trimmed fingers clasped the edge of the sofa where Minato sat on.

Both of them froze on their spots and Minato's face turned white as a sheet. Junpei would've laughed if he didn't share the same spotlight as Minato, judging from the cold glint in Mitsuru-senpai's eyes. Someone gulped, and he wasn't sure if it was him or Minato.

"Welcome back, senpai. How's your day? We didn't see you come in," Minato recovered first, the very picture of dutiful and caring Field Leader in place. Junpei felt like he almost cried proudly.

Mitsuru studied them intently.

"Arisato, I've just contacted someone knowledgeable in security device. The constant malfunctioning of the equipment in the control room is worrying." They could understand the paranoia, since the October accident. "He should be here any minutes from now. As you've been in the control room a few times before, assist him in any way you can. Understood?"

Junpei piped in. "But, aren't our equipment... y'know, operable during the Dark Hour? I don't think normal fix-it guy could deal with it."

Mitsuru nodded promptly, "Yes, that's why I called in someone who certainly qualifies in every way that matters."

...It can't be what they thought, right? They gaped. "Y-you mean?"

"He was a Persona User. Since he's somewhat our predecessor, be polite with him. He's also someone who's a bit of work, so it's better if you don't talk back." Minato nodded quickly, appreciating how efficient and no-nonsense she was. She spoke when she has something to say and went away when she doesn't. Though he knew that more than half of the adoring masses of Gekkoukan students would prefer her to speak more.

Mitsuru stepped away from the common room and smiled slightly, "Thank you."

Just a few paces away after the boys let out relieved breaths, Mitsuru turned around and pinned Junpei with a freezing, chilly stare that made Antartica looked like a soft, breezy spring wind in comparison.

"I assure you, Iori. I heard the part about your porn collection clearly. Consider it gone by the time you return to your room. For good."

As Minato ascended the stairs to control room while fighting to keep the laughter down, Junpei hollered a stream of profanity.

Remind Junpei to find a new friend. Minato was an evil, evil sod.

* * *

Turning on the reportedly malfunctioned device, Minato flicked several switch and booted the processor. The screen gave a soft green glow more suitable for use within the Dark Hour before the symbol of the Kirijo Group appeared in the middle of the screen. He sat on one of the three available seats as the special Operating System guided him into the auto-recognition feature and recognized him as second-in-command after Mitsuru.

He ran the preliminary scanning application on the entire drive, at least taking care of the basic stuff so that whoever Mitsuru contacted to check up on it wouldn't be bothered to do them.

That was when he heard a small beeping sound from the monitoring.

With a sigh, Minato glanced back at the 108" monitor and found that the preliminary scanning application has unearthed something. He clicked on the red blinking icon and... oh, the scanner found a stray recording not automatically filed to the archives. The date was today, or more accurately, Sunday early morning.

...A little peek wouldn't hurt, he hoped. So, praying to whoever God that kept watch on him today, he wished no one barged in and viewed the recording. The screen went blank for a few seconds and after a soft _click,_ the screen showed the interior of Mitsuru's seating room.

The usually calm senior was pacing around back and forth, biting her lips and buried her face in her hands as she groaned. Minato unconsciously leaned forward, curiosity spiked up.

 _"_ _I ruined it..."_ Memory-Mitsuru moaned in distress.

Ruined what?

 _"_ _Ruined what?"_ a female voice said to Mitsuru.

Apparently, his thought reached the monitor because a few seconds later, there was a sound of door being opened and closed. A stylish redhead with short white-tipped hair joined her. They looked alike enough to pass as an older sister.

Mitsuru actually whined. _"I ruined my chance with him."_ She said with a hint of worried edge around it. Minato bit the soft inside of his cheeks. Strangely, Mitsuru blushed deeper, imitating the colour of her hair by the minute.

 _"_ _I-I was about to m-make my move and invite a young man to my room! It was crazy, I don't know what I was thinking."_

Minato froze on his seat, remembering the early morning event just today.

 _"_ _Aww, you poor thing. Come here,"_ the unknown stranger casually went up to Mitsuru and crooned. Mitsuru seemed comfortable enough with the other person that she didn't complain when the older woman enveloped her in a bear hug.

The impromptu hug lasted a few seconds and after she released Mitsuru, there was a strange smirk on her lips. _"C'mon, there's a reason why I'm the Kirijo's fashion advisor, though I'm not as desirable as my ever-popular bestie."_ She rolled her eyes and laughed, eyes crinkling shut in good humor.

The Kirijo heiress regarded her with a playful smile that looked strangely good on her, not that Minato took notice of it, mind you. _"The men were too afraid of your fists to approach. Besides..."_

Mitsuru traced her index finger to the older woman's ring finger and only then that Minato noticed a silver ring that adorned her finger. _"What's this ring indicates, then, future Mrs. Saga?"_

She blushed. _"Oh, you have to listen to this!"_ the now-known Mrs. Saga dragged Mitsuru to sit on the sofa, thankfully sitting on the front view of the camera so Minato could see what they did. She took out several cards and arranged them in a particular position. Minato realized that it was the Tarot spread Igor used the first time they met.

Obviously knowledgeable in the subject, she put them in the exact order and pointed to the final card.

L'Étoile – The Star.

Mrs. Saga said with a soft tone, " _Renewed hope, personal transformation, self-esteem, honouring the person who you truly are... I had this reading a week ago, just the night before_ he _proposed. I can't really imagine him as the type to settle down, Mitsuru, but I guess that sneaky bastard_ will _always stay as a mysterious sneaky bastard. "_

They smiled at each other but the moment was cut to a close as the woman focused on Mitsuru once again. _"That being said. Let's get you a nice furisode* for the new year. Something that will compliment your pale skin and hair. Something that'll catch his eyes, hmm... Maybe a black furisode with red lines will be perfect... And we'll put your hair in a bun and left a few strands to curl around your neck..."_

They chatted animatedly as they walked to the door and disappear behind it. The recordings just ended and Minato had a feeling like he just got the biggest epiphany in his life.

Someone coughed. Minato startled and scrambled for purchase to deny the visitor whatever it was, trying to salvage his pride. A long-haired man in his thirties approached the control bank with a smirk firmly in place. The man whistled when he saw the impressive display on the monitor and his tinted glasses was focused on Minato, who stood out from his seat and held out his hand.

"Ahh," Minato began. "You must be Mitsuru-senpai's contact. My name is Minato and this is the control bank of our security device. I presumed that you know the inside-out of devices like this?"

The man still had that irritating smirk going. "Don't be so stiff... I'm just a harmless man who happens to know how to fix obscure devices like this. Still, it's impressive to see one. You can call me Kaoru." With that, he clasped Minato's hand firmly.

Minato stared at him in confusion. The middle-aged man unclasped his hand from Minato's and went around the monitor, examining the back of the screen and unplugged several cables. When he rolled the cables around his arm, a small, black rectangular device came up behind the unseen part of the control bank. Kaoru-san flicked the device with his fingers and checked a blue-coloured connector that was clipped between the black device and the control bank.

Sensing Minato's stare, the man explained. "I installed this-" He showed Minato the black device, "-on the control bank after this room was built on request of a worried father that his only daughter would fight Shadows unchecked. I guess the little lady told you, but some former Persona Users are still in contact with the Kirijo Group and the Nanjo Group. In my time, it was necessary to monitor my opponent with this device, but only the audio part. Now it's so advanced that you can steal visual feed, too. "

Wait a minute. Monitor? Opponent? Steal?

"That's right, brainy-boy." Kaoru-san lowered his head, allowing Minato to see a wicked gleam behind the glasses. "I was a wire-tapper."

With a chuckle, the man sauntered to the door but stopped directly beside Minato. "I saw what you watched, boy. Let's keep that little blunder of yours a secret, shall we? We had a secret of each other now. I don't feel like explaining, but you already know what I'm talking about, right?

Minnato hissed out. "You knew... What are you going to do?"

If possible, the smirk only continued to widen. "Hehehe... My intentions are honourable. I assure you I can keep secrets. I used to be an excellent prosecutor, after all."

* * *

 **Author Notes:**

Furisode: The most formal style of Kimono, used in special occasions.

Thanks for reading^^ Give me more prompt? Or do you want to see a particular scene? Contact me.


	20. La Lune

**Author Note:**

Hello, welcome to the newest installation! I'm on one of those manic moods as I write this and also, knowledge of P2 is needed in this chapter. Happy reading, don't forget to feed the author *bats eyelashes*

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

 **La Lune**

Someone has usurped his throne as the ultimate champion of arcade games.

Minato glared at the sullied record on the brightly-lit screen before he jammed another coin and waited for the game to start, feet tapping the tiled floor with the patience of a very annoyed sore loser.

What made him so uncharacteristically irritable about it was the fact alone that it was crazy because his high scores were all above millions and not even Junpei would be up to the challenge of defeating him in them. Oh well, there will be hell to pay when he catch the culprit. He'd demand the rightful return of his unmovable throne to the mystery usurper, preferably with the usurper crying buckets while Minato mopped the floor clean with their quivering, humiliated face.

Minato picked up the mock gun, tucking his stray hair behind his ear and smirked wickedly.

"Whoever you are, I'll destroy you."

* * *

When he returned to Game Panic the next weekend with Minako in tow, the mystery usurper's name appeared again. Above his.

Minato had never stomped so hard during his lifetime. He scowled and quickly went to the arcade machine to erase that blasted name off the screen. He went as far as ridding that 'Ma-Ya' name from the top ten record and filled the screen with his username before it satisfied him. Minako only rolled her bright, amused eyes at him.

"Childish brat," she called out in a joking, sing-song voice.

* * *

He didn't visit Game Panic a few weeks before exam, but only because he has an unhealthy amount of fear to ice-sculpting tools that Mitsuru had showcased painstakingly on top of the reception desk as a unspeakable threat. Only when his name appeared on the horizontal line to Mitsuru's on the Notice Board did he neglected his books to join Akihiko and Junpei and chanced a glace at DDR's screen.

That was when being usurped thrice – _thrice!-_ didn't seem like a funny joke anymore.

Not even Junpei's friendly pat on the back that knocked the air out from his lungs or Akihiko's brave attempt to appease him with an offer to let off the steam with running a lap around the city did him any good.

Minato pouted.

* * *

"Move over," Minato muttered briskly as he flopped onto the sofa like a star fish. He wriggled his upper body, using only his shoulder and upper arm to settle himself on the two-third portion of the sofa. Deeming it comfortable enough, Minato dropped his head in his twin's lap and turned over that he faced the well-worn inside back of the sofa. It was a common sight enough that their teammates didn't even bat their eyes, otherwise preoccupied with their own activities.

"You're heavy," came Minako's half-hearted protest, though she didn't stop Yukari who painted her nails with impressive concentration, only stroked her free hand through Minato's hair that has gotten too long for her liking as a silent signal that she listened.

"What now? Lost a pair of socks? Misplaced your MP3 player? Ran out of L'Oreal? Ohh, if that's the case, I used yours to bath Koro-chan."

The last part got her twin's attention. He propped himself up with so much difficulty and ended up with his feet over the other end of the sofa's arm. The sofa was already short enough with Minako taking up the leftmost cushion. Though to be honest, the sofa wasn't designed to let your twin sulked on your lap, either way. Minato was almost six feet tall.

With 'almost' being the operative word.

She only watched Minato struggled furiously and uselessly before she guffawed out loud.

Minato narrowed his eyes, "...You tricked me..." to which Minako tried to stifle her laughter from escaping. It only got harder when Junpei who had just emerged from the kitchen put on a serious expression while mimicking the motion of someone lathering his hair with shampoo.

He sniffed and told them off indignantly. "I don't use excessive hair product,"

"I'd eat my gloves if that's the case," Akihiko chipped in.

"Seconded," Ken laughed, waving his hands.

"Woof! Woof!" Koromaru stood up on his hind legs.

The three males and one dog looked expectantly at Shinjiro who shifted uncomfortably on his seat. Finally, he relented under the gaze and opened his mouth.

"...Fourthed. There, happy?"

Minato never hated communal bathroom more than now. "I hate you guys."

"Aww, love ya too, buddy!" He snickered as he leapt behind the sofa and landed expertly next to a flustered Fuuka.

Even Mitsuru stopped reading, she bookmarked the page she had been reading and gazed heavenwards, evidently requesting some form of divine assistance. When none was forthcoming, she turned to them with a resigned sigh.

"Stop being such incorrigible children, Shirogane, Iori." She chided them with a sneer that rivaled Shinjiro's.

The atmosphere around the common room turned lighter as Minato followed up with a horrified look complete with a hand clutched to his chest. "You wound me! What happened to 'Minato'?"

The next second, he yelped when Minako's fists were pressed on both sides of his head, digging around his skull. "Good question, you insufferable brat. When you find him, please return my twin to us. You're just a whining, petulant impostor."

Minato gave her a very authentic wounded face at that, despite her knowing that it was anything but. Wide, adorable silver eyes, heart-wrenching pout – a whole new skill more effective than Mitsuru's Marin Karin. No matter how immune Minako claimed to be at that kicked puppy face –Sorry, Koromaru-, Minako melted and fell victim to it as she ruffled Minato's hair fondly.

She crooned to Minato as she turned into a puddle of goo. From the corner of her eyes, Minato spotted Yukari face-palming.

He smirked evilly.

* * *

An excited squeal of 'Jun-kuuuunnnn' was the only warning Minato got before a heap of voluptuous body glomped him from behind. He froze in shock, causing his character to die an instant death and he watched in silence as ugly zombies teared his character apart as it struggled in vain. The loud sound of 'Game Over' accompanied him as the female voice behind him chattered a mile a minute.

"We haven't seen each other for so long! How many years since then, Jun-kun? I always followed the news about everyone, you know. By the way, your project was wonderful! I didn't know that my ancestor was a princess from Sengoku Era! Does that make me a princess, too? Ooh did you know that Eikichi opened his sushi fusion restaurant branch around here? I know! Since we're both here I should round everyone up and have dinner at his place! I bet everyone will be ecstatic. I know everyone's numbers but don't be surprised because it's one of the perks of being a reporter, Jun-kun. Also, I've heard that Ulala and Baofu were here just a scant week ago. Ah, it's a pity that we missed their flight but it's all okay because we should be able to meet again in Paris next month. I was entrusted by Coolest to document the event there. I'm not confident in my French but let's think positive! You're fluent at French, right? You should teach me, Jun-kun! Okay, so, what are you doing here, Jun... Oops."

Silence has never been this embarrassing.

"Oops." Minato parroted blandly. It wasn't everyday that a middle-aged hag glomped you and chattered your ears off, anyway.

The older woman shuffled awkwardly and a cringe settled in on her delicate face as she realized what she had said. She looked like she wanted a hole to suddenly appear and hide there for eternity. But eventually, her adult side won out and she coughed into her hands to diffuse the awkwardness.

"Sorry for that, I thought you're one of my friends." She smiled politely, although the smile was a bit too stiff on the corner of her lips. Minato ran his eyes over the beautiful lady curiously.

"Err... yeah," He shrugged. He cast a forlorn look at the game screen and sighed, just a little bit and he'd beat the thrice-damned usurper...

Minato turned to the lady. "Just... Go away, please." He muttered darkly. But the lady didn't hear him as her eyes were set on the game machine before them.

"House of the Dead! You play this, too?" Minato showed her the mock gun he had on his hand before the rude lady Game Over-ed him. She grinned cheerfully and went out to the Arcade's cashier, so Minato, free from the clutches of a chattering lady, inserted another coin and waited for the screen to load.

"Wait for me!" the older woman yelled before Minato could start the game. Minato raised an eyebrow as she approached him back and inserted another coin to the machine.

"Let's play the co-op mode!"

Minato looked at her incredulously, as if saying that a middle-aged lady couldn't handle it. The woman rolled her eyes and said, smirking, "I'm good with guns,"

He just shook his head and chose the multiplayer mode, adhering the older woman's wish.

* * *

Between the both of them, they actually reached the final stage without losing any health.

Minato wiped the sweat from his neck and forehead, smiling in satisfaction as the ending credit rolled through the screen. He lifted the gun onto his shoulder and looked at his partner in a new light.

The older woman raised her right hand.

He chuckled, raising his right hand as well. With his left hand, he inserted the gun to its holder.

Like that, the middle-aged woman gave Minato a high five with all her strength. They toppled around, laughing joyously and stood shoulder-to-shoulder as they walked out from Paulownia Mall.

Their hands stung, but the feeling of victory wasn't so bad.


	21. Le Soleil

**Chapter 21**

 **Le Soleil**

The worn, leather-bound notebook fell to the cemented floor of the playground with a thud, alerting Minato who napped under the autumn breeze. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, glancing sideway and found Minako sleeping on Akinari's shoulder, dozing off without a care about the world.

He met Akinari's eyes and shared their mirth with quiet chuckles.

He bent down from the bench to pick up Akinari's notebook and handed it silently to his ashen friend, who thanked Minato with a mumbled gratitude. Minato craned his neck, watching the leaves changed its colour in preparation to embrace the upcoming winter, to strip itself bare and to return to the world of living come the next spring.

He leaned back to let the wind caressed his neck and shivered, giddy with the thought of marshmallow dipped in hot chocolate to accompany the study session they'd have back in the dorm in anticipation of exam.

Which was just a sleazy excuse he invented to spend more time with his teammates.

"Minato?"

He hummed, snapping back to the present as he buried himself deeper to the heavy coat Minako insisted before they went out and appreciated the warmth it radiated. He found Akinari frowned on the fresh, blank page of his notebook before he closed it softly with a tired huff.

"I don't think I can finish this story," Akinari wondered aloud as he tapped the red fountain pen on his chin.

Minato had to grin on that self-depreciating admission. If there was someone more determined than Akinari, he'd sign his entire fortune off to whoever it would be. So he shoved Akinari's shoulder playfully, which in turn woke Minako up with a surprised yelp.

Akinari caught her before she fell sprawling across the dry leaves with a tinkling laugh and Minato noticed the genuine fondness in the older teen's eyes. Minato smiled at that as his evil twin retaliated with dumping an armful of momiji leaves on Minato's head and stormed off resolutely, grumbling about idiot brother and her flawless plan to drain his pocket money, one that involved a roomful of nasty rancid gravies.

Minato indulged her rantings with a roll of his eyes and he stalked off, dragging Akinari away from the bench with a firm grip on his elbow.

"All you need is a cup of hot chocolate," he said resolutely. "There's nothing more heavenly than Minako's homemade hot chocolate and you'll finish your story in no time."

Mitsuru didn't even berate him for bringing an 'outsider' to the dorm, too busy engaging in a quiet discussion about micro-economic empowerment with Akinari to argue.

And if Akinari protested against it, well, the way his eyes lit up when he took a sip of the hot chocolate was payment enough. Particularly when SEES' study session improved greatly with Akinari as the tutor.

* * *

A day after Akinari told him that he has stopped taking his medicine, his older friend appeared in front of the dorm with the beginning of winter behind his back.

Minato stared back, lips set on a thin line disapprovingly. Akinari gave him a disarming smile, one that prompted Minato to step back, if only to keep the irrational cold that seeped into his spine away from the warmth of the common room.

"Why?"

Akinari didn't have enough time to reply when Minako stepped down from the last staircase and ran to the doorway with a surprised squeal directed to Akinari. She swooped Akinari inside, pushing his back and settling him to the sofa as she pitter-pattered around the kitchen, talking loudly.

"I didn't know you'd visit! Why didn't you call me? I could've prepared something for you," her giggles reached them and Minato shook his head as he made himself comfortable.

He frowned when he saw Minako's reaction, "You didn't tell her?"

Akinari said quietly, " Why did you assumed that?" to which Minato only groaned into his palms.

"How many years do you think I've been his brother? She wouldn't act like that to any sick person who stubbornly forced himself beyond what his body allows."

They were interrupted again when they heard steps from the upper floor and soon, they were joined with the others, who took Akinari's presence as an invitation to gather around for an impromptu Q&A session. Minato only observed them as Akinari answered each questions with the patience of a saint, displaying the wide berth of his knowledge, surprising Minato that even Junpei nodded in understanding at Akinari's explanation.

"Guys, don't crowd Akinari! Geez, he's only been here twice and you hog him to yourselves," Minako glowered mock-angrily in an attempt to save him. Akinari only held up his hands in surrender, laughing but otherwise never showed any attempt to discourage his friends to ask.

Again, mugs with hot chocolate were distributed around as they sat in a circle. Akinari's small voice, occasionally interrupted by coughing sound, cleared away their questions as easy as breathing. The session was especially useful to the senior, with Mitsuru and Akihiko asking their fair share of complex questions that covered the content of National Exam.

"I have a private tutor coming around four times a week," was Akinari's answer when they asked why he knew so much.

Akinari shone on his own way, completely within his element as the centre of their attention, although he was worn out and overwhelmed, though this time it wasn't with his illness but with something that could only be a 'would be'.

Yet somehow, it suited him.

"You'd make an excellent teacher."

Akinari replied with a wistful smile, "I like being useful,"

* * *

"Kamiki-san, are you okay?"

The apparent worry from Fuuka permeated around the cheery atmosphere of the dining table. Minato paused from his meal as Akinari tried to dispel Fuuka's concern with a gentle, somewhat subdued smile. What he didn't know was that Juno might've sensed his life being chipped away, sooner or later.

"No, no. I'm just a bit cold, that's all." Akinari made a show of drinking the miso soup and chewing his deep-fried tuna slowly. But it did nothing to calm Fuuka's concern.

Since he became their tutor every other day they didn't spend on exploring Tartarus, they began expecting his arrival and let him to occupy Shinjiro's chair. They were huddled around the dining table, chattering away after a rigorous study review that left even Mitsuru a bit light-headed.

Minato lost his appetite, but he stayed anyway. He didn't let Akinari escaped his sight.

It became harder to keep the secret.

* * *

Akinari fainted.

Minato fled immediately to his side, cushioning his fall before the older teen crashed into the rug beneath him. There was chaos and startled shouts behind him, but he only took a quick look as he balanced Akinari's thin body into his arms.

"Akinari! _Akinari_!" Minako sobbed, shaking his body with frantic, ineffective hands that trembled with fear. Akinari's sunken eyes stared at her half-liddedly, as if he was about to slip into sleep, as if it was just because of a bout of exhaustion you could recover from.

"Mitsuru-senpai! Call the hospital! Please!"

Akinari's face was deathly pale and wan and _he should've know better_ and his eyes were glassy with guilt. Minato could only made him lean forward a bit, to ease his airway a bit, supporting him with both his arms and legs and even though he could feel the cramp rushing towards his shaking legs, he lifted Akinari halfway before Akihiko helped him off.

Minako ran ahead to the blaring sound of the hospital ambulance, fending off the confused paramedics and opened the back door widely. They sped off towards the hospital and the tense silence was enough as a sign that they wouldn't cope well with the secret Minato held.

It was only the next day when Akinari's critical condition weaned off and they were let inside the bleak room by a woman whose laugh lines has disappeared into tear-stained cheeks.

Minato sat on the furthest seat while his friends crowded the hospital bed.

He couldn't tell them.

* * *

Today, he and Minako visited Akinari alone, giving his mother some time to sleep her exhaustion off when Maiko came unannounced with her parents on either side.

"Shhh..." Minako put her index finger on her lips, making the child tip-toeing softly as she entered the room. Minako clamped her tiny shoulder with her warm hands, until they were just a few feet away from the sleeping Akinari.

Maiko looked like she was on the verge of crying with her red-rimmed eyes but Akinari couldn't see it, with half his face was covered with an oxygen mask. His eyes were shut after drinking a dose of a white tringle-shaped medicine.

Though he rejected it at first, it was clear that he needed it. If by looking at how his breath came easier was any indication.

Maiko placed a takoyaki-shaped keychain beside his head, smiling slightly at Minako who was checking the liquid infusion. Lips trembling, Maiko ran to her mother's arms and cried softly. It woke Akinari up, who tried to get up futilely before Minato helped him up.

The mask muffled his voice, but it didn't hide how wide he smiled when his eyes recognized Maiko. The little girl hid behind her mother's legs, but her dad's hand that ushered her forward had her walking until she stopped by the bedside.

"Hullo, Stripped Shirt..."

"...Long time no see, Maiko," he said tiredly, his eyes bright in the soft winter light. Minako placed the funny keychain on Akinari's hand, watching his amusement danced within his eyes before it disappeared as a retching cough made Maiko looked at him with a perturbed worry.

Akinari waved his arm lightly, but it apparently escalated Maiko's uneasiness as she climbed Akinari's bed with little help from Minako.

"Think you can come back to the playground next week?" she whispered softly.

Akinari made a show of thinking aloud. "Hmm... Maybe tomorrow,"

"Promise?"

Akinari's smile didn't falter, neither does he unclasped his hand on the keychain.

Maiko recited her stories about her father's new office and how her mother quit her well-paying secretary position to take a job in a small nursery near their freshly redecorated home excitedly. The Oohashi family of three stayed until the visiting hour was up and Maiko kissed Akinari's forehead shyly before she bid him a good night.

There was no reply to Maiko's question.

* * *

Minako faced Akinari, a slight blush dusting her cheeks. "Akinari!"

"Yes?"

"I really, really like you!"

Minato leaned behind the door to Akinari's room, shoving his hands deep within his pockets and listened silently.

"...Thank you, me too."

He felt his face shifted and when he touched his mouth, a smile was quirked up there.

* * *

Sometimes, when his room was bare from visitors in the early hours of daybreak, he woke up and wrote with a small smile on his face.

* * *

"Minato,"

He woke up to the soft voice, a song that cradled him within this realm drifted to his ears.

The strong, yet fragile soprano sang ethereally, from a figure Minato couldn't see that filled up the room. Minato opened his eyes to the calming blueness, only to met Elizabeth alone with no Igor in sight. She sat directly across him, the thick book floated gently before her.

The singer's voice pierced through his heartstrings in a way that the song hadn't. It had a harsh, hopeless emotions within it. Sounding both languid and ancient, as though the singer's voice was raw from sorrow or tears. Minato tried not to close his eyes, ignoring the tinge of sudden powerlessness that erupted within his chest.

It was ridiculous, because what else is the Wild Card aside from limitless potential?

He stood up, outstretching his hand towards Elizabeth and she understood the gesture. With a soft flick of her hand, a card flew towards him. Portrayed as children holding hands under the blazing sun, the card depicted happiness, accomplishment, joy, optimism.

...And one's appreciation of life.

Minato's breath left him as a thrum of strength enveloped him, healing the bone-deep fatigue through every fibre of his being. He knew that his eyes were glassy when he looked back at Elizabeth.

She regarded him with impossibly, outwordly golden eyes. "Akinari Kamiki wishes to bid you goodbye."

"Again? Isn't it enough?" he laughed quietly. His parents, then Shinjiro, and they almost lost Junpei for good. Now, it'll be one of the people who were bound to him...

"Visit him," Elizabeth said. "Death wouldn't touch him before you let go."

Minato turned around, walking towards the opulent door leading him to the real world.

"...Allow him his rest,"

* * *

An alligator lived in a calm, green forest, but he turned out to be pink.

He's so visible that he can't hunt for food easily, so he's always hungry.

The other animals dislike him and consider his coloration disgusting

He started living alone... But then he made a friend

His friend was a bird, but the bird was unable to fly

So, the bird would stand on the pink alligator's back and practice its flying

They started going to the river everyday, and the bird would sing while the alligator listened.

But again, the alligator couldn't catch his food easily because of his colour.

He persevered, trying to will away the hunger and he knew that he could do that.

On the lucky days he could catch fishes, he kept some for the days he couldn't catch any

A few months later, the little bird started to fly with the encouragement of the alligator

The bird flew away, leaving the alligator before it took off

But on the third day, the bird returned with his sibling,

A scarlet-feathered bird so beautiful that it wasn't like any bird the alligator had ever seen.

With the help from the little birds, he could catch his food easier.

Sometimes, he even went to sleep with a full belly that he couldn't move.

Seeing that the alligator and the little birds live together,

The other animals became friendlier to the pink alligator and visit him

A lion cub gave him a fresh, raw meat,

A shy rabbit laughed at his jokes,

A smart eagle owl shared her wisdom with him,

A panther asked him how to hunt stealthier,

A small mink gave him the berries she found on the bushes,

A golden butterfly perched fearlessly on his ear,

And a fox kit yipped cheerfully as it circled him.

Since he persevered from his hunger, now he didn't feel lonely anymore

He was very content and they lived happily in the forest ever after.

* * *

 **Author Note:**

Special thanks to my little brother who identified Akinari's possible illness. I only came up with the alternate ending of Akinari's storybook. This chapter is loosely inspired from Toki no Suna by Shikata Akiko and I claim no ownership to it.

I based the description of the symptoms and the medication around it. If anyone was wondering, the possible illness is Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) which is a rare, progressively fatal illness caused by gene mutational inactivation. It matched with Akinari's SL but there might be an in incorrect portrayal so let's just take it with a pinch of salt, yes?

Thanks for reading^^ We have about two or three chapters left.


	22. Le Soleil Part Two

**Recommended song: Amrita –Hikikatari-  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

 **Le Soleil Part Two**

The sky was overcast with heavy clouds, shrouding the moon and hiding all her majestic glory within their silver linings.

It rained tonight, but he didn't care as his feet took Minato to Paulownia Mall while the brush of cold water accompanied him inside. A lot of things didn't matter right now, as he single-mindedly tried to get away from the oppressive atmosphere of the dorm. The other mall-goers huddled tightly within their thick coats or pulled open their umbrellas to avoid the light rain as they exited, but he merely walked along into the quiet Chagall Cafe, using his thin jacket to keep warm.

The cafe was warm and almost bare from visitors, save for some people who were scattered around the quaint chairs. Soon, the dull roar of coffee grinders and the hiss of the steam wand as the sharp aroma of coffee overwritten the smell of rain water took his mind off, blissfully thoughtless, only responsible for breathing in and out and bleeding the weariness out of his body.

When reality dawned upon him once again, Minato only realized that his body was on autopilot of its own accord and he was already outside the mall with a venti-sized coffee. As he stepped back into the chilly weather, Minato took a sip and let it scorched his tongue. Through his burned tongue, Minato noted the bitter earthiness and stuck his tongue out, hoping to catch the water to relief the pain.

Purposelessly, he decided to walk around Iwatodai into the downtown while he let the cheery lights and sounds of the lively city washed over him. He was suddenly reminded that there was one part of the city that he hasn't visited yet, despite its significance. Minato felt a faint smirk twisted his lips as he breathed in the clean scent of rain and he walked until he reached the Moonlight Bridge.

Minato leaned against the rusty railing nearest to the burnt tire marks that faded over time, but one that he recognized nonetheless. With another thought, he brought the carton cup over the marks and set it on the road as an offering to his dad. Minato joined his hands together and prayed, silently apologizing to their mom that he didn't bring her favourite lily and promised her that he'll talk Minako out to visit them any other time.

That being done, Minato returned to the railing and leaned with his back to the sea as a car honked him out of the way and he watched as the car ran over the carton cup. Minato barely felt the clenching of his fist until his nail broke the skin underneath and he let his eyes went out of focus as he turned back and looked down at the dark shadow that the the bridge cast over the sea.

Minato let out a breath he hadn't realized holding as he closed his eyes, willing the sound of car engines and tires and horns to overtake his senses. The humid atmosphere was oppressive but it was comfortable to him, swathing him in heavy blankets of air pollution unnoticeable to his numb skin. He put his disquieted mind on pause as Minato raked his fingers through the damp midnight-coloured hair, temporarily baring his right eye to the world before his hair covered it again.

He was... tired, Minato thought.

And it looked as though this listlessness won't let go of its hold on him anytime soon. He supposed that it came with their return to this city, with fighting something more terrifying than what people their age would experience. Minato can felt it within the weight of his Evoker, his tool and weapon to survive and keep everyone alive. It deepened with each exploration, each ties that bound him to other people aside from Minako. His strength increased, but so does his responsibilities.

Minato took another shuddering breath before he put his hands on his pockets, but his fingers thumbed something leathery, forgotten in his haste to get out from the dorm. Minato pulled it out, his eyes taking note of Akinari's notebook.

His eyes stung from the sudden blurriness but he blinked it away. Minato smirked at himself for suddenly feeling so _weak,_ so sentimental just because of a stupid notebook. An ordinary notebook that he allowed to hold temporary control over his thoughts.

He should throw it away.

Minato reached back to the notebook, contemplating how many seconds it took before the notebook will be swallowed by the sea as the rain touched the edge of the crisp paper. He scanned over the words quickly, blinking the rain out of his eyes. He traced the many correcting marks that littered the pages and frowned. Didn't Akinari finished the storybook?

He didn't really notice when the heavy traffic finally died away, but the silence was a welcomed change. Between his quick reading, he heard the sound of two men conversing, although the words were clipped by the rain. It sounded like they were talking about the police station and temporary arrangement but to his utter surprise, one of them stopped directly within his viewpoint while holding out a black, open umbrella.

The person said harshly. "Honestly, teenagers nowadays are brash and stupid, but here, take it nonetheless." It was said in a grumpy, impatient tone but there was a bit of kindness that Minato didn't expect there.

Minato looked up from his bangs to see that the glove-covered hand that held the umbrella loosely was connected to a middle-aged man who stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to take the umbrella. With a soft 'thank you', Minato reached out for the proffered object with slight hesitation.

The middle-aged man was at least in his late 30's, from his short observation. His eyes reflecting a detached worry anyone would give to a complete stranger. He wore a complete set of grey suit with a red collar shirt and a grey tie, hidden beneath a knee-length winter jacket. Beside him, his younger auburn-haired companion stepped forward to share his own umbrella to keep the older man dry, glancing up and down at Minato curiously.

And as if someone has put a stop to the veiled daze Minato was in, the loud sound of heavy rain that had been falling for hours was registered to his ears. Then, he noticed the street lamps that was snuffed out due to the blackout and the slight vibration that the ground gave out as another car passed them. Only then that he dully realized that he was completely soaked from head to toe, his legs numb as he took another step to take the umbrella and his fingers were wrinkled from overexposure to the cold water and his teeth were clenched so hard to keep them from chattering.

Minato blinked slowly, how long has it been since he stood there?

* * *

What an odd circumstance it was, he thought as his honed observational skills working on overdrive.

At 11 PM, Iwatodai was a quiet city overlaid with a strange ambiance that surrounded its air. There was an indescribable quality to it that drew people in, but he sensed something so alien, so peculiar that he wanted nothing but to stay away. And tonight, they had just finished working things out with Officer Kurosawa and it was late when they walked back to the hotel, with no taxi in sight.

As they crossed the infamous Moonlight Bridge in the middle of a rainstorm, a lone boy stood silently, leaning on the railing and staring off the dark sea with what he assumed as a thin book held precariously on numb fingers. The boy was soaked to the skin, his thin silhouette palpable through wet clothes and he didn't even seem to care even though winter was nigh and autumn rain wasn't exactly pleasant, either.

Katsuya watched as the boy leaned even nearer to overstep the railing with a smirk on his young face, as if asking the sea to swallow him. The rainstorm engulf the stranger and the sudden remembrance of someone too stubborn to ask for his help was too strong that his instinct flared to life, trying to interrupt whatever the unknown boy planned.

He shoved his black umbrella. "Honestly, teenagers nowadays are brash and stupid, but here, take it nonetheless."

The boy had looked so unaware of everything, only mumbling a soft 'thank you' before he looked up at him and then to Tatsuya, who continued to asses the teen while his younger brother inadvertently stepped closer to cover them both from the onslaught of rain. And as though someone has just flipped a switch, the soaked boy seemed to refocus to reality and his monochrome features became clearer.

Hollow silver eyes caught him and the boy started to move. He blinked owlishly as he took in his surrounding and moved to accept the umbrella. But even before he accepted it, the boy's body started to spasm, convulsing so severely that Tatsuya clasped a hand on his shoulder to keep the boy from falling.

"Hypothermia?" Tatsuya asked with a calm gained from years of dealing with difficult convicts. He shrugged out from his thick jacket to lend it to the soaked boy as Katsuya supported his other shoulder.

"Possibly," he retrieved a small flashlight from his pocket as Tatsuya covered the young man with his thick, bright red jacket. He watched as the boy's eyes slipped close and Tatsuya wobbled from the full body weight before he set the stranger on his side.

Katsuya got to work, checking the boy's responsiveness to light by opening his eyelids and let them fall closed again after he was done. Next, he checked the muscle stiffness and counted the boy's breathing compared to his heartbeat.

"Definitely mild hypothermia," Katsuya concluded with a curt nod and shook the water residue from his shirt uselessly. He looked at his younger brother, "Now then, let's get him to our temporary accommodation first. We can question him in the morning."

Tatsuya sent him an irritated glance, but complied nonetheless. There was no arguing with this man, who had essentially been promoted to parenthood as a teen as well as caretaker to him all his life.

"Yes, Chief Suou." He mock-saluted and got a flick to his forehead for his trouble.

* * *

Heat surrounded him.

He struggled to open his eyelids. He felt exhausted.

Minato's eyes were drenched in darkness and his eyes were covered by a moist compress. A warm duvet was pulled up to his chin and thermo-pads were applied on his neck and head, keeping him adrift in the mist between waking and dreaming. He slowly attempted to sit, but fell back under the covers when his palms weren't enough to push himself up. He tried again with much difficulty but then he succeeded and leaned against the stacks of pillows.

He reached his trembling fingers to remove the compress but he wasn't ready for the shafts of bright sunlight that escaped from white curtains over the windows. Minato shut his eyes and groaned, trying to get used to it as he scanned the foreign room with squinted eyes. It was a normal but bare room, as if the occupant didn't even bother to stay for a long period of time.

Minato clenched his fingers, the feeling slowly returned to his ice-cold digits as blood pumped into his fignertips. Minato hated the cold, almost as much as he hated losing control.

Then, unfamiliar voices drifted through the open door. He grew vaguely aware of human presence outside the room and braced forward as he tried to stand up, leaning on the bedpost. A tan hand suddenly appeared within his line of sight and forced him to sit down. His eyes adjusted to the growing brightness as the man pushed him and he could see a clear highlight of red as the man's hair turned auburn in the sunlight.

The man's face was turned away from him as he called out to someone else, "Katsuya! He's awake!"

Another step followed after that and an older figure entered the room, this time with a tray and a scowl on his face. Minato remembered him as the middle-aged man who offered an umbrella.

"Don't yell around, I can hear you just fine." He sighed, "And get him an aspirin and the honeyed water I left on the table."

"...Yessir." the younger one said petulantly, but Minato could hear the slight mumbled words, "Slave driver,"

The tan man who helped him up settled Minato on the edge of the bed and left him alone with the older man, who put the tray on a small table beside the bed and pushed a plate for him. He accepted it numbly with a curt nod that the man replied with a stern, but strangely non-threatening glance.

A plate of colourful, sweet-smelling pancakes topped with syrup and berries were disposed on Minato's lap. The food was so beautiful and unlike anything he has ever seen that he just stare at it and the man in return. The man coughed and looked away with a blush, eventually opening his mouth.

"The first treatment of a hypothermia patient after he wakes up is to offer sips of warm, sweetened non-caffein liquids and food with high energy if he is able to swallow." He said, matter-of-factly as if he just recited it from a handbook or a health guide. The man's younger companion entered the room again and the resemblance was so uncanny that Minato had a hard time differentiating who was who.

The younger one held out a bottle of aspirin and a small cup on a white coaster that smelled and tasted like honey. When a sip of the sweet water didn't invoke an immediate need to throw up, Minato drained the cup and only then did he realized that he was famished.

"I'm Tatsuya Suou and this is my brother, Katsuya. Do you remember anything?" Minato must've looked confused because the man continued, "You know, Moonlight Bridge, rain, a black umbrella..."

Memories returned to Minato and he acknowledged it with a small nod. "Thank you for helping me, I'm Minato." After he said that, they stared at him as he cut the first slice of the pancake and hummed contentedly.

"Are you a dessert chef? This is delicious," Minato asked, the fork rapidly stabbed another piece and guided it to his awaiting mouth.

Heavenly.

There was a note of disbelief on Katsuya's voice as he exclaimed and corrected Minato, "That's patissier!"

Tatsuya lost it and guffawed, laughing out loud before he slapped his brother's back twice in quick succession, wiping amused tears from his eyes before he smirked at Minato.

"Kid, I like your guts already. Between you and I, we'll make white hair grows on him in no time."

Katsuya sighed, his unamused face harried and long suffering, "Please spare me the trouble."

He walked out from the room after divesting Minato's phone on the bedside table. "You'll want to call someone to pick you up. Luckily, there was some battery left and you kept it in your pocket. Otherwise, it'll be unsalvagable in the rain." He turned his gaze towards Tatsuya.

"Keep your eyes on him." Tatsuya nodded obligingly and the older man left. Minato reached for the phone and shakily browsed the contact list, calling Minako and telling his twin where he was. Minato told her to pick him up, which was replied by a hasty 'okay' before he flipped the phone closed.

"Ah, I forgot something," Tatsuya suddenly said and he retrieved a half-dry notebook from his pocket, giving it to Minato.

At Minato's silence, he said, shrugging, "I tried to dry it to my best shot and... I might read some of them." Tatsuya admitted sheepishly.

"...What do you think?"

"Err, what?"

"What do you think about the story?"

"Oh, that. Hmm..." Tatsuya pondered, craning his neck to stare at the light bulb. "It makes me think of... How much one person could change."

Minato leaned on the headboard, flipping through the pages with extreme care as Tatsuya continued, "The story itself is nothing extraordinary, I've seen better because I have a friend who likes reading. It's just that... The story grows,"

"What do you mean?" Minato asked as his fingers traced the words.

"The story changed a lot, you know?" Tatsuya leaned forward and pointed where the crossed out passages were and replaced by new words scrawled in Akinari's slanted handwriting.

"The first ending was... sorrowful." Something lodged itself into Minato's throat. Tatsuya's voice read out the shaky handwriting that was hastily crossed out into another words.

"...Since the alligator ate his friend the bird, he cried and cried for a very long time. In fact, he was so sad that he drowned in his own tears. His tears became a beautiful lake, around which grew beautiful flowers and a tree with delicious fruit."

Minato flipped the page, and Tatsuya's critical eyes easily found out the hidden words. "-The other animals came there often to relax, but none of them knew the alligator had created it or that he was gone. Even though the alligator didn't find meaning in his life, the residents of the forest did. They just didn't realize it."

With an uneven breath, Minato flipped to the last page. There, he found the complete story with neater handwriting, clearly intended to be read by others and to leave a legacy of its own. The difference between the original one and the completed story was like earth and sky.

It was as if he saw the notebook for the first time. He flipped pages after pages, each retelling the story in another light, in another ending. Retelling the story of a lonely, sickly boy that matured into someone who persevered that sought to make a better ending, at least for himself.

Minato watched as the pages turned, unfolding and changing the story into something just a little bit kinder, gentler.

Happier.

Smiling, he closed the notebook and placed it carefully within the deepest pocket of his jacket. With slow, deliberate movements, he stood up and bowed to Tatsuya, who placed a unfamiliar silver wristwatch on his palm. When he looked up at the taller man, Tatsuya only shrugged,

"It feels right, somehow. Besides, your wristwatch was ruined by the rain."

Walking towards the door and thanked Katsuya who only smiled before giving him an awkward clap on his shoulder, Minato stepped outside and waited, listening to Minako calling his name and feeling the sun on his skin.

He closed the door shut with a soft click.

* * *

It was a quiet affair.

The procession was a long line of ceremonies he didn't even remember. White and black were everywhere, accompanied by the stifling aroma of incense and lilies. But despite the solemnity around him, the atmosphere failed to reach him and only Minako's trembling figure kept him rooted within this place. It was as if everything else was an alternate universe while he stood inside a bubble, watching it went by inside a cocoon.

Eventually, he looked up as people he didn't know paid respect to Akinari's body and went their separate ways. Akinari's mother received their condolences gracefully. The older woman stood beside the casket, wearing a formal black kimono, her shoulder-length hair decorated with an intricate hair jewel and her skin was a fairer tone than her son. She realized the twin's presence, turned to look at them properly and regarded them with a deep, respectful bow that they replied in kind.

The warm brown eyes smiled at them.

They were Akinari's.

She stood straighter and said gently, "You must be the 'Minako and Minato' I've heard so much about from my son."

"I'm sorry," Minako whispered and she nodded, cradling Minako's face with her hands.

"Look at you. So beautiful...You'd be perfect for Akinari. I... I'm so happy that you came for him. You too, Minato. I've never heard my son talked so much before you." The mother widened her smile a little more but her eyes turned glassy to mirror Minako's. He loosened his grip on Minako as his twin shuddered and crumbled before him.

His twin -that dumped dried leaves on his head, that received flower bouquets ever since her first day here, that confessed to Akinari knowing full well that time wasn't on their side- cried and it was so messed up that it was so wrong. Akinari's mother took pity on her, approaching her gracefully and enveloping her within her arms and Minako welcomed it, hiding her face into the soft material, not wanting to let go.

"Thank you... Thank you..." Akinari's mother murmured into Minako's shoulder, rubbing her back gently.

Minato left them to their grief, the silver wristwatch clasped around his wrist.

* * *

 **Author Notes:**

Thanks for reading!^^ Hmm... Not sure if it's good enough, though :T

On another note, I'm happy to say that the last two chapters wouldn't have this solemn mood. We'll be hosting a school festival! o/ I'm accepting funny, flirty or downright facepalm-able questionnaire to be used for the next chapter.

Hint: Take Me Out game show.


	23. Le Jugement

**Author Note:**

This chapter is a tough nut to crack but it's finally here. Phew. Still, I had fun writing this so I hope you'll like this *laughs* Some of the dialogues came from the Social Links skits but it's so hyperbole-ified I'm not even kidding. The OOC level is like whoa.

And thanks for reading^^

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

 **Le Jugement**

* * *

The prestigious and ritzy Gekkoukan High School was in a craze today.

Students were milling about, chatting animatedly as they maneuvered around colourful booths filled to the brim with various foods and games. Each class was decorated in brilliant red and blue, the exact shades of their school colours while visiting families and guests alike were enjoying the festive atmosphere.

The notice board was moved up to the front gate, now containing floor plans that served both as map and booth information so anyone that passed it would know which class has what booth. It also has the precise schedule of class performance in the auditorium. A group of people was standing in front of the notice board with excited giggles when the cheerleading squad was twirling and dancing around them, spreading flower petals above everyone's heads that brought smiles to the students and their families.

Sadly, the fluffy feeling of happiness didn't reach Minato.

Which was quite a big deal if even Shinjiro managed a smile or two while barking orders and instructions to his scrambling classmates like a battle-hardened commander left and right. His full, customer-laden class proudly served parfaits and cookies and strawberry shortcakes and sparkly confeito and individual servings of molten lava chocolate cake and schwarzwalder kirschentorte and a tall croquembouche and literally every girl's sweets dream that even Minako abandoned him to sample everything in their menu. That damned little sister.

...Oops, let's go back to Minato's woes.

"I swear the vest is trying to choke me... You're sure you're not enjoying this too much?" came the agonized voice of our brooding hero.

One of his classmates giggled derangedly behind him, pushing his tuxedo-clad shoulder until they arrived right in front of the entrance to the auditorium. Once they came to a stop, she checked Minato's outfit for the event one last time.

"...I look like a red light district's host..."

If possible, his classmate's smile got even wider. "Oh shut up, you." She winked and Minato's skin crawled. "Remember, be sassy." This... predicament he was in was a joke. A universal joke whoever pissed off deity has put on him. Minato regretted every hour he slept through the class performance's selection when his classmates literally fought in a civil war while deciding what their contribution to the cultural School Festival would be.

And that was when a forgettable, plain-looking girl suggested a friggin' **_dating game show._** With him as the main attraction.

...It was always the quiet ones you have to watch out for.

* * *

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to the one and only Gekkoukan High School's Cultural Festival!" the deafening sound of an excited crowd boomed through the full auditorium. "I'm your announcer- our man of hour's bestie for today's show, Junpei Iori."

Junpei put on a conspiratorial smirk. "I'll let you in on some secrets, ladies and gentlemen..." the crowd quietened in a hush.

"Ever since the first day we announced that class 2-F -" a loud cheer came from a part of the mob, possibly from the mentioned class. "-would hold this show, we've been scarily overwhelmed by the response. Even more, we got more than fifty participants on the first day. But!"

Some people booed. "As we have limited time slot and the stage will be used by SEES later on, we've done a secret investigation courtesy of the Detective Prince." A young, blue-haired teen who looked similar to Minato waved to the camera, dipping his head as he curtsied to the squealing girls. "-and decided on ten eligible candidates. And a dog."

"Woof!"

The girls sighed in unison.

"Thank you, Koro-chan. And today, presenting our man of the hour-" The audience's crazed cries took on a crescendo.

"He's the saviour, who has made the world safe from a delusional scientist, who has sealed the darkness even though no one ever asked him to- He's the prince charming, he's the fearless badass, he's the go-to person to be your study-buddy. He's da man-"

Cue the drum roll. "...Arisato Minato!"

Minato walked out onto the stage under the audience's appreciative gasps, sashaying with the intention to hypnotize. The deep, almost-black double breasted suit fit snugly against his torso with its classic cut. He walked confidently with his head held high and sat on the proffered 'throne' although it was more like a very comfortable office chair than anything else. If he wasn't the object of attention, he would've lean back and doze off instead.

Copying Igor, he smirked and laced his fingers, raising his eyebrows to Junpei as a signal to proceed.

"And now, let's start with introducing the first candidate!" Everyone's attentions panned from Minato to the larger side of the stage which was hidden behind the thick curtain, waiting in bated breath as the curtain was pulled open.

Minato's smirk fell.

Junpei grimaced beside him.

"Good lord." Junpei muttered in deep condolence, unheard from everyone aside from Minato.

Junpei bravely went on. "He's one of Minato's first friends. The goofy next-door boy who is fun to tease and friendly to everyone. He has a love for watching j-drama series and eating ramen and is surprisingly talented in making handmade accessories. Say hello to... Kenji Tomochika!"

"Hi guys! Even though I'm a dude I'll win Minato's love and tie him with my new choker, complete with leash. Wish me luck!" Shouts erupted from the rejected applicants while Kenji was busy winking at Minato who was trying to avoid the projectiles Matrix-style.

"Our second candidate is the adorably shy girl who is also a formidable chef in her own right. Voted as 'the best voice' this year and a talented hacker- it's the demure, the innocent maiden Fuuka Yamagishi!"

Fuuka smiled, blushing furiously. "H-Hello everyone, how was your day? With Minato by my side, I want to be true to myself." Fuuka was staring into Minato's eyes. "I want you to know everything about me."

Some guys made an 'aww' sound while clutching their chests. Minato only sighed in relief at seeing some normalcy and he made a 'thumbs up' gesture to the bashful girl.

"Moving on, this might be a surprise for everyone but our resident School Council President is also a candidate!"

Et tu, Mitsuru?

This time, the males (and a particular female stalker) were struggling not to hit Minato with rotten tomatoes. "The rich lady that also holds the #1 national score for three years and the heiress of Kirijo's fortune with a mean streak a mile wide!"

Mitsuru smiled coldly. "Err... you know who she is- Our very own Mitsuru Kirijo! A word, please."

Minato withheld a wince. Mitsuru was probably the most terrifying candidate. A woman who was both beautiful and scary was a deadly combination.

"...I'll make you mine, Minato." She purred coyly and the audience was torn between swooning and cursing Minato for his luck.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, if this is your reaction then you're not going to like the rest of the candidates we've lined up," Junpei laughed nervously and shot Minato a saucy wink.

The audience raved on.

"This chick has been the talk of the school since first year and get even more popular once her form when she's shooting arrows to your hearts is any hint. Please welcome... Yukari Takeba!"

Yukari's face was all red and she flattened her skirt nervously.

"I-I'm only gonna say this once, okay? Minato-kun... I like you."

This time, the damage was done. The audience shouted, some people barbaricly raised sharp-looking knives looking like they were ready for murder, the candidates looked batshit crazy and Minato blinked owlishly. To say that it was just a lively school festival was an understatement.

Shit. Minato was in a deep shit.

He whimpered when Mitsuru licked her brand-new rapier. Kenji was testing the tightness of... something that shouldn't be mentioned in a K+ rated fiction. Fuuka's face lost all trace of innocence and instead, a wicked evil smirk took place.

For once, he didn't want to know what went through their heads.

"Whoa, dudes, gals! Back off! Back off, you sonnuva-" Junpei's last word was doused quickly because a stray Niflheim maimed him. Pity that Chidori's Spring of Life revived him almost immediately. Minato almost wished that the unfortunate death of the announcer would stop the show.

"Ehem, moving on! Put any sharp objects away, please. Okay, good. We already have the buddy type, the shy type, the lady type and the girly girl type. So why not the sport girl type? This tough one is the brawny girl who is so maternal that kids flock to her. Complete the starter pack with a caring housewife to boot. Welcome to the show, Yuko Nishiwaki!"

The limelight shifted to Yuko, who waved around to the audience before settling her gaze on Minato. She looked at him hopefully,

"You're so sweet to me, Minato-kun. I bet you'll be a good father when we have kids."

Junpei whooped. "Wow! A bold marriage proposal and we're only halfway towards introducing the rest of the candidates! How are you so far, dude?" He unceremoniously shoved the mic to Minato's face who was about to duck behind the chair to hide from the harsh attention and narrowly missed his nose.

The auditorium was practically buzzing with nervous energy.

Minato glared before replying, "Umm... Not good?" he tried.

"Haha! What a charming guy." The audience laughed along good-naturedly.

"Next candidate, please!" Junpei commanded as he glanced at his cue-card. "For those of you who has been despairing over who you want to support, this one might make your headache goes up tenfold. I mean, what kind of guy who wouldn't want to participate in a secret rendezvous in an empty library with Chihiro Fushimi the megane girl, right? Right?"

Some students with megane fetish groaned aloud.

"Ha! That's what I meant. Now, don't be shy and greet Minato and the audience, Chihiro-san,"

Surprisingly, Chihiro stomped her foot on the podium and brandished a shiny AK-47 to the rest of the candidates and roared. "No! I won't allow it! Minato is **MINE!** This contest is unforgivable!" She grinned at them and said in the evilest voice you won't expect from her.

Her glasses hit the limelight and shone menacingly. "Drop dead, you unworthy flies."

The audience went silent. Minato facepalmed and looked ready to fill the transfer request to a more peaceful school. He heard that Yasoinaba High School was surrounded by trees and mountains.

"Man, you wouldn't want to piss her off." Junpei jokingly said in his attempt to salvage the show and the atmosphere. The auditorium was filled with hysterical laughters.

"Next, I wonder what you guys would say about the next candidate but we know her, we see her and we hear her. Please welcome... Toriumi-sensei!"

"No no no!" Minato protested. "This contest is student-only and the faculty will **kill** me for seducing a teacher!" He was very fond of his life, thank you very much. "Besides, you're supposed to be the strict teacher! What are you doing here?!"

Toriumi only folded her arms to support her rather ample... assets and inspected her nails disinterestedly. "What are you talking about, Tatsuya-kun? I applied to win your heart, of course and I passed Detective Prince's evaluation." Well, sure, Minato just wished that Naoto used her skill on a more productive activity, like stopping a mad Goddess from drowning a city in fog.

She stopped inspecting her nails and blew Minato a kiss. "I'm tired of our long-distance relationship and I will declare you mine by the end of this show."

Poor guy, Junpei hoped Minato wouldn't try to shoot himself with the Evoker. It wouldn't do to lose their Field Leader to a mental ward, anyway. He should treat the unlucky sod to ramen later.

"Way to go, man! It's not everyday you get to be surrounded by girls." Kenji grumbled. "-And dudes." Junpei added hastily.

"Now that I think about it, Toriumi-sensei has covered the older woman type nicely, so we're going to the younger girl type next. Any idea? No? No? Okay, don't be surprised, guys. Our next candidate, surprisingly, entered the contest from the next town over and is possibly the most motivated candidate I've ever seen. She even said that she and Minato has exchanged betrothal rings before she moved out-"

People shouted. People booed. And Minato was covered in rotten tomatoes.

"As much as I'm amused by the envy, guys, I need to remind you that we only have... ten minutes! Before the stage will be taken over. Wow, time flies, huh? Now, I introduce to you, Maiko Oohashi!"

The elementary school girl twirled in her podium with her new school's sailor uniform and let her hair down. Under the audience's captivated gasp at her cuteness, she giggled and shot Minato a victory sign. "I'll be Mrs. Arisato Maiko once I finish university and find a career, so until then, please keep me in your heart, future husband-san."

Minato hid behind his chair as the onslaught of rotten tomatoes got eve more violent. Some people even aimed at his stylish bangs. The savage lot of them.

"Such dedication! And before it gets any more... homicidal I'd better start introducing us all too the next candidate, huh? I'll give you some hints: She's blond, she's adorably curious, and she's your home-friendly robot... Aigis!"

Aigis smiled heart-warmingly. "I am truly sorry that I have not bless you all puny humans with my Godly presence for so long. Now I am here to claim my ownership of this foolish fool and make him sleep on my lap for all to see."

Everyone gasped and Minato who was secretly hoping that Aigis the ever-faithful robot would help him escape this madness slumped resignedly on his throne, chanting 'I'm so done' repeatedly under his breath.

"Uh... Aigis, you're okay? I know that damned Ikutsuki isn't here to repair you so... have you lost some screws? I can help you looking, y'know."

"Please don't bother, Stupei-san. I am analyzing which vacation spot would be best to enact our honeymoon phase. I had googled that Indonesia has a paradise called Raja Ampat. It would be in your best interest to kindly shut up and let me reserve our plane tickets in peace."

After she finished speaking, an evil, chilling laugh escaped from the last candidate and suddenly, the auditorium was drenched in utter darkness. The audience, however, was getting used to the chaotic madness and sat through the event. Some even took out their camera and flashed blindlingly to the stage.

As the light booted up, a caped figure stood behind Minato and caressed his cheek. His white, smiling mask covered his entire face but the yellow scarf gave out his identity.

"Brother..."

Minato shrieked girlishly, jumping out from his chair like a monkey and posed for a fight with a spear that magically appeared in his hands.

"Get away from me!" Minato shouted bravely. Witnessing the fight, SEES members leapt to the stage with their respective weapons and glared for all their worth to the unknown adversary.

Junpei stuttered. "Uh... guys...? I was just about to introduce the last candidate."

"It's not important right now! I want to beat something." Akihiko executed a quick set of punches to demonstrate and his fangirls squealed ceaselessly.

Great, black wings erupted from the last candidate and he spread-eagled his arms like a typical world-dominating villain.

"MWAHAHAHA! The moment we become one and devour the forbidden fruit is approaching, dear brother of mine. You have sealed your fate to mine and entrusted your future to me, so you shall belong to my side... Yes, this contest is the means by which all is revealed... That attaining your love requires a stern will and unfailing determination, so I shall destroy this world and keep you in my arms."

"...Did he just gave angsty teenager's love trouble speech?" one student whispered to her friend.

SEES battled it out, fighting to save humanity from the malevolent being's machination. The stage was quickly ravaged by the war, charred to black with unrelenting blaze while the audience watched on. Some people kicked back their legs and propped up their arms, some munched on popcorn and sipped their cola noisily and some people recorded the fight to post it on Y**tube.

All in all, the cultural festival was eventful.

Students were milling about, chatting animatedly as they maneuvered around colourful booths filled to the brim with various foods and games. Each class was decorated in brilliant red and blue, the exact shades of their school colours while visiting families and guests alike were enjoying the festive atmosphere.

Sadly, the fluffy feeling of happiness didn't reach Minato.

He traded blows upon blows with the Shadow, summoned Messiah with the intention to end this battle while running from the disturbingly cheerful chant of 'Brother~ Brother~' from his crazy other self and prayed that he still have one or two Plume of Dusk left.

"Now we shall conclude 2-F's class performance! I, Junpei Iori, hope that our man of the hour finds love and live happily ever after-"

"Junpei! Get back here! Don't even think that you have the excuse to not fight just because you're the announcer!"

"Sheesh, can't a guy slack off a bit?" He waved off Yukari's scream as she was KO-ed with a Ziodyne and faced the cameraman.

"Well, we're wrapping up today's show and because SEES is currently busy with their... extracurricular activity, please head out to P3WM Gunjou no Meikyuu – Soul Phrase (Male MC/Shiomi Sakuya ver.) on Y**tube for the extra something we have prepared for you. Thank you and have a nice day!"


	24. Chapter Finale

**Author's Note:**

Let me tell you that I don't expect much, but waking up with over than 600 views is def a good way to start the day o/ Glad that my readers has yet to desert me *sob* You know it's the last chapter, so read slowly and soak it in. It's been a good year with you guys and happy reading! :DD

* * *

 **Chapter Finale**

 **Le Monde**

* * *

Not everyone would felt so wistful after being older for another year. He awoke only with the faint acknowledgement that the curtain of his room was lifted to let the fresh sunlight pour in and Minako's smiling face that greeted him.

Minato replied with a quick upturn of his mouth and stretched, working out the knots in his sleepy body and stood, facing Minako completely. They might be twins, but being fraternal, he sometimes wondered if they really were twins or not since they couldn't be more different than the earth and the sky.

And today, of all things, he was surprised that he shared the same blood with her. That they were born on the same day. Even then, he was more surprised that he wanted to celebrate it especially since the event ten years ago. Still, when the calendar showed what today was, he still felt that foolish wave of excitement that thrummed against his chest.

But who wouldn't? It wasn't everyday that you woke up on your birthday, after all.

It certainly hadn't been celebrated again ever since they were seven. They had been passed around so much during the past decade that it was starting to be regarded as just another day. Besides, they weren't children anymore.

And it was fine. It was perfectly fine. They had learned their lesson.

But this year was different. They actually belonged somewhere, in a small circle they could truly call as their family. SEES has became so much more to them that even the pain that Iwatodai City brought them didn't matter anymore.

They smiled at each other and Minato crossed the distance to envelop his twin in a hug. As a child, Minato used to think that they were given the same name. They didn't differentiate each other. Or more aptly put, didn't even think that they were anything other than each other.

Minato's Minako. Minako's Minato.

They stayed like that for a few minutes but eventually separated and Minato dropped a kiss to her forehead. It might've been a meaningless gesture if it was anyone else but Minato. And finally, they left each other's company to start their day.

* * *

"Oi, buddy! Wakey, wakey!"

A particularly hard shove made him jump, colliding forcefully to Junpei's jaw who groaned aloud while holding his chin delicately. Minato would've laughed if he didn't feel a concussion formed on his head. They grimaced together until Junpei shuffled to sit on Yukari's empty seat. "Wassup? You're not usually that air headed, Field Leader."

To emphasize his point, Junpei crossed his arms and looked put upon as if the world was too heavy to bear. At least it made him chuckle.

Minato waved him off. "Nothing, I'm fine." he rolled his eyes for a good measure. Then, he got a strange, giddy urge that made him blurted out, "Let's get Wild Burger on our way home."

He promptly ignored the warmth that pooled on his stomach at the word 'home'. Yes, he and Minako could get used to this. Besides, this was fine, right? It was just a small outing between friends. Hell, maybe even best friends for all he knew. There was a childish part of him that wanted to tell everyone that today was their birthday. They had definitely kept it between them for too long but then again, he didn't want to make their friends felt bad for not knowing.

This would do, just eating outside with friends while normal life resumed peacefully. It certainly was more than how he and Minako had celebrated before.

Junpei winced. "Bad day, dude. I've got baseball practice now." Then, he grinned widely. "Well, my dream is important, after all. Can't make Chidori be disappointed in me, rite? Catch ya later!"

Minato huffed as he saw Junpei bolted outside, shaking his head. Maybe everyone else would be free, so he pondered on his contact list (which now has more than just Minako or Naoto's numbers, he thought proudly) before Mitsuru knocked on his classroom's door.

As always, her presence drew curious glances from all sides. "May I talk to you for a few seconds, Minato?" And he wasn't the only one who noticed that she called him with his given name. Mitsuru certainly was friendlier than she was given credit for.

He nodded, "Hey," that she replied in kind.

"I'm glad that you haven't leave yet. There was a matter that I can't leave alone and it concerns the management of the higher level CEOs." Mitsuru looked tired and although he couldn't understand it the same way she did, he understood responsibility.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" He offered, if only to lessen her burden. A birthday can be spent to help others, anyway.

Mitsuru smiled pleasantly, "Only you are the perfect person for this job. There's a council meeting and while I don't plan it this way, I do want to groom you to be the next Student Council President. So, it's actually a good opportunity."

He found himself agreeing with her. "It's win-win solution, right? Just take care of the CEOs and show them who's the boss."

Her smile grew wider and she laughed. "Yes, thank you."

Mitsuru left shortly and Minato spent the next hour going over what each sections has accomplished, weighing some of the more difficult decision while trying to put himself on Mitsuru's shoes. Surprisingly, he enjoyed the challenge since it required both the ability to think on his feet and people-managing skill.

Before he knew it, the council session was finished successfully and some of the section heads even promised their votes should he run for the Student Council President position next year.

The hustle-bustle of the clubs has been long since grew quiet, so he opted not to bother any of his school friends. Thus, while Minato cleaned up his desk and he bid goodbyes to the rest of the council members, he enjoyed the sunset as he walked to the dorm, noting that all shops has closed early. He didn't met Minako on his way back, although he expected her to wait for him in front of the gate.

It was their little tradition to buy the most expensive food they wanted for the special day, but maybe she already ate something considering that she was always surrounded by her friends all day. So here he was, straying a little from his usual route to grab the rumored fusion set from the sushi restaurant that a strange middle-aged hag he met on the Game Panic told him about all those weeks ago.

The owner was even stranger, a bleached blue-haired man who talked Minato's ears off about the importance of self-esteem and beauty until he got tired of listening and tuned out without any regret whatsoever. When he bought the most expensive set, still warm from the kitchen, he wondered what his dorm mates would say.

Junpei would probably act like a kid while Fuuka shielded her favourite sushi. Mitsuru would calmly sip on her tea as Yukari complained about what a brat Junpei was. Akihiko would shake his head fondly as Ken observed him with those hero-worshipping eyes. Aigis would try to feed Koromaru some fish that were actually bad for dogs and Minako would force-feed him to fatten him up.

He tasted one from the box and the flavour was blander than he thought.

Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the dorm. He didn't even notice when his shoulder sagged as relief and a sense of rightness seeped into his very being. It felt right to call this dorm as their home, a place to go back to. A safe place after a long night of fighting Shadows or even after something as ordinary as a school day. They didn't have to go anywhere else, it was that simple.

And he opened the door.

"SURPRISE!" Balloons. Colourful banners. Lame birthday hats. A big birthday cake filled with strawberries. Gleeful grins. Bright confetti. Empty streamer containers. Everyone laughed.

Minako's happy smile.

Everything was registered suddenly with his senses and he froze in place. Minato was thoroughly floored when everyone surrounded him while Minako put the same birthday hat on his head and he didn't even have the strength to take it off or throw it somewhere else. He glanced across the room and find giddy faces around him.

Minako giggled as she pushed him to sit on the sofa, high-fiving Junpei as he threw an arm around Minako. "Whoa, didn't expect that to work! I know my excuse was lame. You're surprisingly easy to trick, dude."

Still reeling from the shock, he yelped when Yukari pinched his cheek. "I hope we didn't break you, Minato-kun. You looked ready to faint."

Fuuka started to lit up the candles. "Phew, we're actually afraid that you'll catch on early- Oh, sushi!" He let his teammates fought for the sushi, only glancing away when Minako brought the cake between them.

Minako's eyes were serenely happy and peaceful. "We're supposed to blow the candles and join the sushi war. C'mon, let's make a wish."

With a nod, Minato closed his eyes for a moment and wished that for once, they would never have to go anywhere else.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Happy birthday, man! You know who you are =w= It's still the 10th of July here so I'm not considered late or early hahaha :P

All in all, I have this odd sense of fulfillment when I put the last dot on the chapter. This one is my first finished multi-chaptered fic and boy, what a relief. I still have some ongoing fics, some AU ideas that I want to write down and a few fic promises to keep so hopefully, you'll stay for more. I'm slow and I'm not that good of a writer because I'm bipolar af so do excuse me.

Also, thanks for reading and see you in my other fics^^


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